
Class -BR 1?.S 



Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



I AM; 



OR, 



A Narrative of Creation and Salvation 

Through Redemption and 

Restoration. 



BY 

JOHN RING, 

HAWARDEN, IOWA. 






Chicago, 111. 

S. B. SHAW, PubUshcr. 

212 W, Chicago Ave. 

1906 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

JUN 2 1906 



/f ^ 



Copyright Entry 

Cl/ASS CC XXc. No. 
COPY B. 



Copyright 1904, 
By JOHN RING 






FORE-WORD, 

Any thoughts reduced to writing and pubHcation, in a 
certain sense l3ecome pubHc property and receive attesta- 
tion according to the varied judgments and appreciations 
of the readers. This is expected and can not be avoided, 
nor would it be for the best if it could. However, any 
writing largely stands on its own merit, and speaks for 
itself. The criticisms may be well founded or not, accord- 
ing to different opinions ; but the work advocates its own 
value. No writer should aim to escape this. The writer 
thinks and writes. Let the reader read and think, and so 
co-operate in meditation. The first may aid in giving sug- 
gestions to the latter. 

At the junction of many roads, a guidepost is a neces- 
sary aid as an index, and as wise, directing counsel. At 
a dangerous pitfall or rock in the dark, a signal light is 
proper to give timely warning to the benighted or befogged 
traveler. Its service is not altogether estimated by the in- 
trinsic worth, but rather by its wise guidance and warning 



constantly given, which becomes of value to the inquirer 
when he gives proper heed thereto. 

Co-operation in meditation arouses latent treasures of 
the writer and reader. The aim of the one is to point the 
other to the test, the highest and the noblest in life, and 
to avoid the contrary, yet leaving the reader to venture it?, 
his own mind far beyond verbal expressions. 

May the time that the reader devotes to this book not 
be considered ill spent nor as lost, for want of some good 
service and aim — is the hope of the writer ; for it has a 
goal to which the thought of the reader is directed. 



CONTENTS. 

I. The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

II. The World's Benign Lights. 

III. The Image of God, Man. 

IV. The Supreme God, I Am. 

V. The Two Characteristic Trees. 

VI. The Personified Word of God. 

VII. The Beloved in the Garden. 

VIII. The Bride in the Wilderness. 

IX. The Two Testaments. 

X. The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 
XL The Wise Conclusion. 



And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God 
uas manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, 
preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into 
glory.— I Tim. 3:16. 



I AM 



OR 

A NARRATIVE OF CREATION AND SALVATION 

THROUGH REDEMPTION AND 

RESTORATION. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE EXISTING PROFOUND MYSTERIES. 

First Corinthians 15 : 51 — Behold, I show you a mystery ; 
we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 

It is by no means the intention to turn the world of 
thought from its usual busy course of action, to divert the 
rivers thereof from their proper channels, to remove the 
fixed mountain facts from their bases, nor to hoist sails and 
launch out on a doubtful voyage into an imaginary sea of 
new ideas. But rather to let the aim be to encourage the 
joy of a really pleasant journey on the revolving globe as 
it completes its circle through space, so swiftly, seated by 
some selected picturesque mountainside, that runs down 
through some romantic forest to the banks of a peaceful, 
flowing river, and, during springtime, there dwell at early 
dawn of the morning, at the noonday's bright glare, and at 
the evening twilight's beautiful halo — there to muse 
thoughtfully and to discern the trend of the current of the 
universe, and to discover the source and stable foundation, 
while listening to its unmistakable voice of charm, admira- 
tion, and astonishment, to the height of all majestic sublim- 
ity, though not always fully appreciated nor comprehended 

7 



8 The Existing Profound Mysteries, 

, at first, for it requires a great deal of education and train- 
ing in these times to become able to see the beauty and use- 
fulness of all nature. 

It is, however,, nature in us to observe nature about us, 
and to enjoy it to the fullest extent possible; but we may 
err in judgment as to the best enjoyment. The universe 
is an ever-intercGting reality and a delightful description for 
our perusal. 

The mysteries of the universe are pleasant, difficult 
tasks for us to undertake to solve with patience, persistence, 
and enthusiasm. Every step taken forward and upward in 
this direction helps to clear the way for new development 
and discoveries which are hailed with joy and satisfaction 
by us all in general. There is now less ground for doubt 
and total denial of new possibilities and inroads into the 
yet undiscovered fields, than ever before. Mysteries are be- 
ing solved more and more to the adjustment and approval 
of the general intelligent mind with greater ease than ever 
before. Mysteries appear to us in different degrees, but 
usually the most mystified part is connected in some way 
with something that we are more familiar with and that 
gives us a clue to trace from the known unto the unknown. 
This is encouraging to venture into research and attempt 
development, thereby gaining insight into the more hidden 
things, until the clouds have all vanished and we dwell in 
the full brightness of revealed day. 

In the nature of things we are often confronted with 
problems that our intelligence is not able to comprehend 
at first, much less solve to our own satisfaction. There are 
component parts whose use are in doubt by us, and forces 
existing whose power with proper connection united have 
not yet been discovered nor understood even by the most 
enlightened. There are possibilities of which we can only 
imagine at present that will in the near future become actual 



The Existing Profound Mysteries. 9 

realities to the persons who are most incHned to doubt now. 
This is the experience in the past and we have all good 
reason to believe it shall continue so to be until knowledge 
is complete and understanding not failing. We are not 
satisfied to only doubt the existence of forces and their rela- 
tion to matter because we can not understand them nor to 
flatly deny their being, but rather accept them as facts not 
yet developed to our sense of understanding ; while we with 
patience wait for new results to materialize from keener 
investigation, the natural outgrowth thereof. Greater ef- 
forts are exerted in this direction now than ever before, so 
we are encouraged to the conclusion that most mysteries 
will in time be revealed, or at least become adjusted to a 
closer range and greater satisfaction than at present. 

The newly-invented instruments to help in probing and 
detecting hidden things are materials for a sure foundation 
on which to build our belief. Our minds accept anything 
imaginable as possible, based on reason, rather than to re- 
sort to doubt the existence of what we can not understand 
or demonstrate. This is a happy condition for the intellect 
to work in and a more pleasant field for the spirit of genius 
to occupy. Our imagination reaches out from present reali- 
ties to future possibilities with great delight, and enjoys 
every new theory as it becomes an established fact. The 
more we can see a connection between the visible and the 
invisible, the more that harmonious beauty and dependence 
that really exists in all creation will become clearer. 

This is not anything new, for it is just what Paul be- 
lieved and taught. He says : 'T show you a mystery." He 
does not say, I will fully explain it to your satisfaction; nor 
does he say that he understands" all about it himself. It is, 
therefore, well for us to do as he did — look at the mys- 
teries and examine them very carefully. By so doing, the 
mist will gradually disappear, and our vision will be clearer 



10 The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

and more intelligent. Paul believed in mysteries and well 
should he, for he was a great mystery to himself. 

He was mysteriously stopped on his way to Damascus, 
while in his rage of persecuting the saints ; mysteriously 
converted and called to preach the gospel to both Jews and 
Gentiles ; mysteriously enlightened, guided, and supported 
by the Holy Spirit during his whole earthly career in God's 
service, through adversity as well as prosperity. This is 
not all ; for he was mysteriously caught up into the heavens 
and there saw visions that he could not with human tongu'e 
describe and heard sounds that could not be uttered on 
earth ; nor did he know whether he was in the body or away 
therefrom. But he believed in it as an actual, real, and in- 
structive experience that he went through. He did not in 
the least doubt these mysteries nor try to explain them 
away, although unexplainable by him and beyond his full 
comprehension. They were, however, his own mysteries 
and he alludes to them all at various times with the great- 
est delight and satisfaction. 

Paul shows how converted sinners bound together in 
love and Christian church fellowship are united into one 
body with Christ as its head. This is an indissoluble union 
and the life-blood in the head is, distributed through all the 
members of the whole body by the action of the loving 
heart. Each member and function of the body serves the 
other in some way according to its adapted peculiarity and 
duty. How beautiful when all is harmony in the body, and 
the outward actions are but the true expressions of the in- 
ner life. Paul also sets forth this union and relation in the 
likeness of husband and wife who are in spirit and effect 
one. This Christian life is hid within us and becomes vis- 
ible to others only as our lives reveal to them that Christ 
is our inner life, and there dwells the Christian's secret 
being and hope of future glory. With this new life within 



The Existing Profound Mysteries. 11 

our hearts, we can also say to the world : "Behold ! I show 
you a mystery. I was a great sinner. I have repented 
thereof. I am converted and am living a new life." 

This can not perhaps be fully explained in so many 
words, nor is it necessary that it should be; for a true and 
devoted Christian life reveals and explains itself day by 
day as it lives with whom it deals, and it takes a lifetime 
to do so, and then it is still a mystery to us all. We are 
saved by grace and believing on Jesus Christ and fully 
trusting in His plan of redemption. Thus by faith we lay 
hold of the new life that is offered us and by the heart 
accept it of God through Christ Jesus. 

Paul deals with these facts without regard to time and 
partially raises the curtain that obscures the future by 
showing how mortality shall put on immortality in like 
manner as the grain falls into the ground and there dies, 
sprouts, and a new life grows up and appears in a new 
grain with its previous identity retained, with the same life 
principle preserved, although transferred to another kernel. 

This most beautifully shows the mysterious change we 
must undergo from this life to the eternal life. It sets 
forth the close relation of the visible to the invisible ex- 
istence. This also shows up the absurdity of admitting 
the one and denying the other. Paul did not do that, but 
laid the greater stress on the everlasting foundation seen by 
faith. This assurance therein outweighed all else. He 
was a man full of courage, zeal, and ambition. His early 
education and training was the best to be had at his time 
among his nationality. His devotion thereto and the use 
he made thereof in after life delineates the proper character 
of the man as various opportunities were presented. He 
adhered very closely to what he thought was right and 
used all efforts to bring it into active observance. He left 
no influence out that could be brought to bear on what he 



1^ The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

set out to accomplish. He was endowed with more than 
ordinary abiHty, high intellect, good reason, keen judg- 
ment, and apt in argument. This powerful influence was 
felt very forcibly by the opposing parties to their own de- 
feat. The qualities of his character become more fully 
manifest as experience adds its glowing worth to his inborn 
genius. Paul was a wonderful man and his life is a revela- 
tion full of rich, ripe, Christian experience among all clas- 
ses of people. He had a clear insight into human life and 
nature in detail. His vision was also as bright into the 
spiritual and its relation to God. The veils of both were 
removed from his eyes by divine help, to which he always 
ascribes due credit and reverence. 

Life itself, in all its various forms, is a stern reality, 
but little understood. God, the origin and giver of life, 
reveals Himself partly through nature, His workmanship, 
partly through chosen agents, but most completely through 
the Son of God when He appeared as the Son of Man in 
due time. We are placed here in the midst of God's crea- 
tion, endowed with most wonderful faculties for research 
in relation to matter and force and their harmonious work- 
ing through the universe, and to delve into all minute and 
sublime realities therein. This we are invited to do. We 
have the privilege and opportunity to read and to study 
nature as an open book full of interesting lessons for us. 
We not only do this, but devise instruments to aid us to 
discover the grandeur, majesty, and sublimity of the Cre- 
ator's work and to detect more fully the unswerving obedi- 
ence of each formation, from the smallest dust to the larg- 
est orb, to the underlying law that governs all. The law 
of each rests on one common law which was uttered by the 
Creator when He said, "Be" and in obedience thereto all 
things in order took their, proper places and did their duty. 

We can take up any kind or class of objects in the uni- 



The Existing Profound Mysteries. 13 

verse, analyze and dissect them, scrutinize the force that 
pervades them, follow the trend of its hidden power and we 
shall eventually be in the presence of the Word that spake 
in the beginning. Science and research will not be com- 
plete until they stand in the Creator's presence and there 
bend their knees to Him and acknowledge Him as such. It 
is very interesting to notice how Paul, together with the 
other apostles, the prophets, and Christ Himself calls our 
attention to the common earthly things with which we are 
familiar and then makes a spiritual application thereto and 
so teaching lessons therefrom. 

We are told to consider the lilies of the field, the birds 
of the air, the fig-tree and the vine, for they represent 
something similar in the kingdom of God, and in some way 
reveal His dealing with us and His revelation toward us. 
The prodigal son, the king's wedding-feast, the men with 
the talents, offer like illustrations. Those who had been 
in the habit of catching fish and were acquainted with that 
occupation were called to be fishers of men. The seed of 
the sower fell in different soil and produced accordingly. 
This shepherd-like dealing with His chosen flock is one of 
the most apt comparisons to the spiritual watchfulness and 
care for His people. 

There are abundance of manifestations among the vis- 
ible things that offer indisputable evidence of unseen reali- 
ties and a certain relation thereto, although not always so 
easily traced nor understood by us. What is wanting is 
someone to open our eyes and understanding; then shall 
we see a multitude of powerful evidences to which we are 
blind now. Even the eye of faith has need of clearer and 
more exact vision. Paul says: "Behold!" and it is well 
for us to give heed to those things to which he calls our 
attention. 

We have the essence of all science and knowledge sum- 



14- The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

med up for ages, and improved facilities for verifying the 
same. All this and every new discovery is a step nearer 
and a vision clearer to a more beautiful harmony of sci- 
ence, history, and the Bible. Every excavation of an an- 
cient city or place of note bears us out in undisputable 
testimony in that direction. This is encouraging for those 
in search of truth and knowledge for they shall eventually 
arrive at the right conclusion. 

There are many persons who delight to look into dif- 
ficult problems with a view of solving them. Paul was one 
of these and tried to induce others to do likewise. There 
is also a mysterious dissolution and disappearance of the 
visible objects into the invisible realm. This is beautifully 
shown in the service of sacrifice by the ancients. They 
stood in the presence of the visible altar, with the wood, 
lamb, and fire on it, and saw it dissolve and ascend into 
the invisible space, there to exist in some other form more 
suitable to that place. 

This process holds good in all decomposition and solu- 
tion only in a slower process. Death itself is nothing else 
than a transition of our being into the realm beyond ; while 
we may stand by the bedside of our dear friends gazing 
into that region just a little before us. We all shall go 
that way or as Paul says, be changed, which is its equiv- 
alent. The spirit goes beyond while the earthly clay re- 
mains and is assigned to earth. This is a great mystery, 
which we are often called on to witness. 

Mysterious as it is, it remains a solemn fact that we 
all, sooner or later, must experience. Paul encourages us 
to look into this matter and make necessary preparations 
therefor, while means are at hand and before it is too late. 
While life exists with all its variations, let us not cease to 
behold its mysteries nor neglect the most important part 
thereof, to choose the part that shall not be taken from us, 



The Existing Profound Mysteries. 15 

neither in life nor in death. The result will be the un- 
limited joy of the gratification of our choice. 

Usually all mysteries have a connecting part with what 
we can understand. Enoch was mysteriously taken away, 
but his living among men and his close walk with God we 
can in a large measure see into. Noah as a shipbuilder on 
dry land according to God's direction was a mystery to his 
generation, but we can better see through it since the ark 
was the means by which his family as well as himself was 
saved. Abraham's wonderful experience in life becomes 
plainer when seen through the eye of righteous faith. Mo- 
ses's death and burial is surrounded with mystery as well 
as his whole life but the first by no means does away with 
the latter, while his life partly explains his glorious, calm, 
mysterious end. Elijah's ride home in chariots of fire is a 
mystery but his life is as real and significant, or more so, 
than any of the other prophets. 

The association of the breath of God with earthly clay 
in the person of Adam is a mystery, but it is more fully 
explained and exemplified when, for the second time, the 
Son of God visits earth in person. 

The Son of Man began earth's career as a child in the 
manger and grew to manhood among the common people. 
He took three of His disciples on top of the mountain of 
transfiguration and there communed with Moses and Eli- 
jah who both had mysteriously been taken away. This 
proves that mysteries are realities and they exist although 
not at all times plainly visible to all nor easily compre- 
hended. Enough real is associated with mysteries so as to 
give us a sure foundation of hope to build on further. 
Christ came down and lived among us and although He 
went to the Father when His work was finished, He left 
the key to the hall of mysteries and sent the Holy Spirit to 



16 The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

help us unlock, walk in, and make us at home in the under- 
standing thereof. 

''Behold, I show you a mystery," are Paul's words to 
us. Usually, all mysteries are interesting to us and what 
we can not fully understand is admired by us in a high 
degree. We all take fancy to beauty whether by nature or 
acquired by men, through education, genius, or skill. The 
accomplished product of a sculptor, painter, or architect at- 
tracts attention universally. That invisible skill that can 
take a block of marble from its natural state and change 
it to some statue so beautiful and so real, or can take a 
canvas and paint a picture so true to life and natural color, 
is admired by all. We laud and speak with praise of the 
symmetrical proportions and convenient plan according to 
which a comfortable house is built. We take note of and 
enjoy the perfection arrived at by the florist and gardener 
in their harmonious display of nature's most beautiful 
growths. We are highly amazed as the astronomer points 
out the majesty and precision of the heavenly bodies that 
revolve and complete their circles. 

All this we partly see and imperfectly understand for 
there are mysteries connected therewith that are not yet 
fully solved. Life expresses itself so differently in each 
person, and yet it has a strikingly similar identity in all. 
We know of its existence and are conscious of its powerful 
results, but the very principle of life is a profound mystery 
for us to behold. As yet, human skill and research have 
not been able to find for it a proper solution or explain its 
connection with matter for a season and final disconnec- 
tion; yet it is the most interesting study and will produce 
the most beneficial results. 

A person's own work is the best compliment of himself, 
indeed, the most effective silent eulogy of his whole life. 
There is a lasting relation between the maker and the prod- 



The Existing Profound Mysteries. 17 

uct of his hands, mind, and heart, no matter how much 
argument may be produced to the contrary. Our own 
work is a hve revelation of the mystery of hfe hidden with- 
in us and gives us character and manhood. We often make 
our choice of artisan from the impression of the thing 
made rather than from the appearance of the producer, 
who has transferred his mental image to the article made. 

There are mysterious facts revealed between things 
visible and invisible when life's influence receives the oro- 
per relation thereto. 

In like manner the work of the whole creation, includ- 
ing man, testifies of the Creator and is partly a revelation 
of Him and His wise plan. From each item in the uni- 
verse, no matter how small or large, there is a word of 
praise to the Creator in its own language, although we can 
not always hear or understand it plainly. There is also a 
law of order in the whole creation that has nothing but the 
highest regard for its authoritative giver. The Word that 
spake, and it was according to the force of His inherent 
quality, has left His trace among His work. The individu- 
ality of each kind is preserved for ages and transferred to 
a new object of the same class, yet never loses the identity; 
the will also in' like manner retains a lofty sentiment for its 
maker. This unansw^ering obedience to the Creator is 
partly a revelation of life itself which is in the last analy- 
sis, an invisible existing reality, whether associated with 
matter or not. 

W^e carry this elem.ent with us in our bodies all through 
life. W^e study its movement in ourselves and in others. 
We feel the effect thereof within us and from others with 
whom we associate. Yet we do not understand it satis- 
factorily. Life is defended to the very last by ourselves 
and sympathizing friends, for life loves life and is set 



l8 The Existing Profound Mysteries. 

against everything deadly; and yet we don't know what it 
really is. 

There are marvelous revealed facts concerning life, but 
life itself is a mystery, and yet we believe in it as the most 
precious reality about us. Life is a mystery in the way of 
development, as is evidenced by the many noble lives that 
have lived and done wonders for humanity's welfare in ser- 
vice, sacrifice, and devotion. History is full of men of high 
manly character. It is the development of their lives that 
made them what they are in history and biography. Paul's 
words hold good here also : Behold ! A mystery. How they 
could live such good, noble lives among such corruption as 
that with which they often were surrounded. Their lives 
have a mysterious, noble, high-minded influence on us when 
we read of theni. Let us believe in mysteries and let them 
have their mysterious effect on us. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE world's benign LIGHTS. 

Genesis i : 3 — And God said, Let there be light. 

The earth had no form and was empty of all vegetable 
and animal life, but wrapped in utter darkness. This is 
the description given by the Creator before light was 
brought into existence. A more gloomy, desolate, and ir- 
regular state of things we can not conceive of. Indeed, it 
is a hard matter to grasp the state of things as described. 
It had nothing of the orderly harmony to make it agreeable 
to human life and sensation. It was a period and a region 
into which the human mind can not really enter and form 
any idea of the state of things, because life could not ex- 
ist there; and where it can not exist, no clear conception 
can be reasonably formed or any mental picture be drawn. 
Let this impress our minds that it was a hideous, awe-in- 
spiring state not in any way fit for life. Amid all this aw- 
ful gloom and darkness the Spirit moved and caused a 
streak of light to flash in obedience to the Word: ''Let 
there be light." 

Inanimate objects can exist without light, but vegetable 
and animal life can not. It was therefore necessary before 

19 



20 The World's Benign Lights. 

light could be introduced that light should be brought into 
existence, thereby making it possible for life to exist, de- 
velop, and flourish. The Creator called forth light and 
with it came all the attending blessings connected there- 
with. Light and heat are very closely associated with life. 
They form the proper atmosphere for life to flourish in. 
The gentle, warm, yet powerful rays of the sun draws out 
vegetable life from the earth when spring comes and gives 
new expression to animal life also. They give color and 
beauty to all things growing with orderly harmony. Their 
various missions are among the many kind of plants in the 
universe to exert their powerful influence on each indi- 
vidual growth as well as each class of plants, draw out a 
striking, yet unified effect among them all in sprouting, 
developing, and ripening in fruitage. The silent and gentle 
appearance of the sun's rays are longed for and welcomed 
by all. Though gentle they are most powerful and can ac- 
complish more than furious, blustering powers with greater 
demonstrations and noise. 

Light is swift and far-reaching beyond comprehension 
of human genius. The full extent of their useful produc- 
tiveness in all lines and branches of life is not fathomed as 
yet. By analyzing light and tracing its relation to and in- 
fluence on matter and life, we can see the necessity of hav- 
ing it precede life. Its manifestations are much more beau- 
tiful and impressive when life flourishes in its gentle rays. 
Then the hidden treasures are brought out very strik- 
ingly in like manner as a photographer develops a negative 
from the darkness and shadow to show up complete in its 
fullness by the light. The gardener, by the aid of the sun's 
rays, changes the frozen, dead, and barren earth intO' a 
lovely garden spot, dotted with blossoms. Intervening ob- 
jects obscure the light momentarily and, while casting 



The World's Benign Lights. 21 

shadows, help to measure distances and to determine the 
course of the planets. 

Light is the main agent to detect and search out the 
hidden grandeur and sublime problems of nature by using 
its direct bearing on life's intelligent mind. The giver of 
light saw that it was good and useful to man. Its entire 
effect is loaded with continual blessings unmixed in its 
gentle appearance. It comes without any emotional dis- 
turbances whatever on its gentle wings in the morning with 
bright beams for all, rich or poor, high or low, sick or well 
alike. It has healing in its bosom and distributes it gener- 
ously without favor to any particular chosen few. It has 
encouragement and inspiration for all. It gives strength, 
nourishment, and vigor to all things and persons growing. 
Light carries support with it for direct sustenance of life. 

No wonder then that light must appear before life. No 
wonder that He who called it forth and saw it in all its 
beauty and use said it was good. The soothing and benign 
beams, indeed, are welcome to all and appreciated with full 
satisfaction by everyone. The pleasures they call forth to 
us are so many and varied that we can not count them all. 
Light has no sane enemy, for who could be so rude? 

With all the good and glowing attributes we can ascribe 
to light, we can not develop the full meaning thereof until 
we apply the interpretation in a spiritual sense, with, a 
deeper significance and appreciation, with a higher ideal 
conception and brighter light for this and the next world. 
He who said, "Let there be light," also said, ''I am the light 
of the world." He comes and lights up the many things 
that were in darkness before. They were partly revealed 
by holy men of old who, through visions, dreams, and more 
direct communications with the Creator, had revelations 
concerning light, life, and things in general as well as spir- 
itual. But the cloudy interpretations of erring men crept 



22 The World's Benign Lights, 

in and led the way to ruin, loss, and utter darkness. It 
was then that the true light appeared with its gentle, gleam- 
ing rays and lit up the way from darkness to the Father's 
home of eternal light. 

Jesus, the spiritual light, came in lowliness and poverty 
from obscurity and humble parentage on the human side 
of life. Among these environments, in a gentle, winning 
way, he spread the light and in a measure bid the darkness 
to vanish. He gave life to the cold and dead religious 
forms of service into which the people had fallen at that 
time. He associated with those but little thought of such 
as the poor and the despised people more readily than with 
the rich and sightly. His life was given to serve the sick, 
weak, blind, and those in any way infirm. His aid was ex- 
tended with the deepest sympathy for all needy. His as- 
sistance went out to the suffering ones. He worked in a 
quiet, gentle, and humble way, yet very effectively in estab- 
lishing a lasting and far-reaching influence for good among 
men. Those who accepted His gracious offers and heeded 
His calls were greatly benefitted. 

As the needy and infirm are looking for help, they found 
in Him a ready helper. He administered to all spiritual 
wants as readily as to physical. He puts forth great ef- 
forts to show that all are equally in need of repentance of 
sin and welcome to accept the spiritual life by grace 
through faith, and live a new life in the light of His glory. 
This light shows up human nature as none other had ever 
done before and revealed a more intelligent understanding 
of the Father and His attitude toward fallen humanity. 
The beaming smiles of love and assuring welcome by the 
Father were replete and unmistakable in the Son's calm 
face and bosom. He so fully represented the heavenly 
Father that He said, "He that seeth me hath seen my 
Father"; also, **I and my Father are one." He takes all 



The World's Benign Lights. 23 

pains and exerts such heartfelt efforts to show us God's 
attitude toward sinners and make known the good tidings 
of mercy, love, and forgiveness that comes from the Father 
to us fallen and erring sinners. 

What a light He is in the world today. How powerful 
its 'beams are in spreading the gospel truth. Nearly all na- 
tionalities are under their wholesome, enlightening influ- 
ence. These rays show up the brightest side of the life, 
also the necessity and desirability of its holiness. This 
light shows up our future home in the new Jerusalem, so 
beautifully described that it makes us long for a residence 
there, for an endless day of pleasure in the Father's house. 

Let us draw nigh to the light that we may see clearer 
and be warmed up by its rays ; also, become more adapted 
for Christian growth, development, fruition, and final fit- 
ness to be gathered into the heavenly garner. The en- 
lightening privileges of grace and love are reflected by all 
believers from Christ, the true brightness. The final ad- 
justment of God's plan of salvation and restoration will be 
when we all shall appear in the presence of the Eternal 
Light and shine as stars who receive their brilliant glitter 
from the Son, Jesus Christ. Then we will worship in the 
temple that needs no sun, for there the Son of God will 
be the center of radiation. 

The gospel is the atmosphere in which the true Light 
shines and shows up our real condition and also a possible 
escape therefrom by the plan revealed by this bright at- 
mosphere. It is the aim of the Light to show up our lost 
state in a way to make it undesirable to us and then hold 
up the plan of salvation as something infinitely better to 
be chosen by us and accepted for even present peace and 
joy. This better part in life to be chosen by us is set forth 
in glowing Christian colors and becomes our desire when 
seen through the eye of faith in the gospel. These keen 



24 The World's Benign Lights. 

rays show up the world's alluring and tempting snares, of 
which we do well to take due notice, and to resolve by the 
aid of their beams to turn our back to them with a firm 
determination not to yield to any tempting voice, but to 
resist evil in all its forms and deceiving shapes. 

This radiation indeed brings out everything just as it 
really is. This intelligent vision serves as a reliable con- 
stant companion, guide, and judge that we can not get 
along successfully without after we once have formed a 
true acquaintance therewith. By this morning star, we 
can see to choose the path that leads to success in this life 
and the life to come, v/hich is strewn with peace and hap- 
piness. We do well to abide in this light, for it makes 
our steps sure when we walk therein and our work easy 
when we work thereby. This light never goes out ; so often 
when it is gloomy and discouraging without, we see and 
feel this light within the heart and so it helps to dispel the 
gloom by reason of its glimmering from within. We can 
do wonders by the rays of this light, as was done by men 
of olden times, whose deeds are recorded in science, history, 
and the Bible. Those men who have been closest to the 
light have seen and experienced the most. They are the 
most successful in accomplishing great things to their last- 
ing credit, glory, and honor that survives all objectionable 
criticism. Among them we notice some most prominent 
and familiar to us, such as Enoch who walked with God 
and was taken away. His journey was in that halo. 

Noah, by this dawn from above, saw clear visions and 
wrought faithfully therein for a long time, but he received 
his reward. 

Abraham seemingly was in the dark whither he was go- 
ing, for he was told to go to a land that God should show 
him. He journeyed in the midst of this light and there his 
vision was clear and far-reaching. Notice what he saw. 



The World's Benim Lights. 25 



i>' 



He entertained angels. He pleaded with God and got 
what he asked for. He saw a son many years before he 
was born. He saw himself a father of a mighty nation, 
in number as the sands by the sea or the stars in heaven. 
Pie saw this son offered and resurrected and afterwards 
the beginning of a new people chosen by God Himself. A 
peculiar nation different from all the rest, yet distinct by 
themselves. But Abraham by faith saw more than this. 
He saw also the reality of all of which his life experience 
was only a shadow and figure or a typical language with 
unspeakable deeper spiritual significance. He saw Christ's 
death, resurrection and the new church, peculiar and dis- 
tinct, founded on the Eternal Rock by faith. 

Joseph delighted to continually abide in this light un- 
swervingly in all the severe tests he went through. He 
was sustained through it all by the powerful rays of knowl- 
edge that comes from the assurance that God was with 
him to light up the way, to reveal mysteries though vis- 
ions. By this light he learned wisdom, good judgment, 
and became a favorite with God and all people. It might 
be said that Moses lived in the pillar of light, for he is a 
marvel to thinking and reasoning people. He received il- 
lumination from God who is the light as well as the Son. 

Through Moses, God's rays shown marvelously, mirac- 
ulously, and graciously to such an extent that his face 
declared it to all the people when he came down from the 
mountain where he was with God forty days. While on 
the mount he was shown by the true light patterns of vari- 
ous sorts pertaining to a place of worship, the tabernacle, 
and all the details pertaining to the building thereof, the 
vessels and their proper use, the way it was to be orna- 
mented and their significance. He was also advised as to 
who should be the proper officers and the chief one among 



26 The World's Benign Lights. 

them all. This was to be done according to the vision on 
the mountain seen in the true lig-ht. 

Moses not only saw by the light. He did his faithful 
service thereby also. When his work was done and his 
journey ended, God took him up on a mountain again and 
by His light showed him the promised land. When God 
shows us the land it is without fear or favor and we usu- 
ally become satisfied with it and rather sorry to be with 
God in the real promised land, where Moses went from the 
mountain height. David was called into this light to enjoy 
its beams of solacing peace. He seems to be in the right 
atmosphere when he can sing, compose, and play therein 
and have his whole life developed thereby. It was in this 
light he repented, and was forgiven, and had the joy of 
salvation restored unto him. It is humility to repent, 
blessed to be forgiven, and glorious to be restored. 

David experienced all this and loved to tell of it to his 
fellow men so they might profit by his example and beware 
from falling as he did but rejoice with him in what he re- 
joiced. The wisdom of Solomon is a reflection of the 
heavenly light as it shines at noonday, as it were, in the 
fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham of a great, 
mighty nation. It was fulfilled in display in Solomon's 
time to his credit next to God's. 

All the noble characters and devoted lives by the proph- 
ets and other good men have been led in this light and 
been guided by its gentle effective rays. 

Elijah was a reflection from God's light and demon- 
strated that all light comes from the living God who made 
heaven and earth and all things therein. He upholds and 
directs it all. No power is higher and therefore the only 
God who should be served without any doubt or slight de- 
votion. 

All these lights appear like stars in the heaven on a 



The PP^orld's Benign Lights. S"? 

clear, beautiful evening. They shine, each one, with the 
light he receives from God, the only self-existing light. 
How beautiful the glittering stars are for us to behold. 
We admire them and would not know what to do without 
them. They are so precious to us and they are doing 
what they were created for in the sphere they were placed. 

Let us learn a lesson from the stars and shine with the 
light God gives us and in the place He ordains for us. 
This may not be among the best and most noted, for all 
can not be those. It may not be where we would like best 
to shine, for others may be better fitted for that place. But 
no one is better fitted to do my work than I am. Let this 
truth be more fully impressed on our minds and sink deeper 
into our hearts. Let this cause a longing desire to become 
more devoted to our duties. Let this spur us on with more 
faithfulness and greater pains to find out what is really our 
work to do and what we are most adapted to. Let us ask 
the question, "What wilt Thou have me to do in Thy light ? 
How and where wilt Thou have me to shine?" 

We see that the light shines partially through holy, de^ 
voted men who have lived at various times and were raised 
up for a special purpose to do certain work. All these great 
and energetic men have become in fame immortal for 
what they so faithfully did. Their lives are open pages 
for us to take up, read, study, and apply for our useful 
instruction, but we have full right to reject everything un- 
desirable that their lives disclose. 

All religious service and forms of worship, all institu- 
tions of memorials and manifestations of obedience, are ex- 
pressions of faith, hope, and love, and are seen very clearly 
by this light. The nearer we are to this light the plainer 
those graces are discerned by us. We are also in the best 
position to reflect them to our immediate surroundings. It 
was stated that the heavenly light shows up this world in 



28 The World's Benign Lights. 

its true aspect, and so it does, if we follow the light where 
it leads us to on the right mountain where God takes us 
to show us His glory. Not on the mountain where the 
tempter in his imagination leads us to by false pictures and 
misrepresentations. Let us notice the difference of the two 
and not mistake one for the other. Through this light we 
behold the true religion of lasting value to us all. We 
turn to history's record and read there and they will testify 
to the same as the Bible records in regard to persecution. 
This is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles ; while it 
was peace, harmony, and equality at first, it soon changed 
to opposition, dissension, and persecution. We read of 
how bravely the martyrs met all punishment the opposition 
saw fit to meet out to them. They saw by this light the 
promised land in all its fullness where nothing can enter 
that does and encourages what the persecutors carried out. 

This light within the heart serves to determine and 
maintain Christian character; and where light and life are 
harmonious, heavenly visions can be seen in face of death 
and the grave. We are here reminded of Stephen when 
he saw heaven open and angels ready to welcome him. It 
was the Christian life that saw by the light what he did. 
Jesus, the light of the world, said when He left this earth 
that He would send the Holy Spirit. 

The Spirit takes of Christ's teachings and exemplary 
life among men and reveals them to us. This is a light to 
us with application as well, for the Spirit shall reprove of 
sin. The Spirit works direct on our hearts and spirits, to 
persuade us of sin and repentance from unrighteousness 
and to flee to the place of refuge. There are some heights 
in the Christian experience to which the Spirit takes us, 
and we behold a transfiguration. By its light we see Moses, 
the law, Elijah, the prophet, and Jesus, the gospel. O, 
how pleasant to be there! What a gentle, soothing light. 



The World's Benign Lights. 29 

Let us dwell there as long as we can. And when we 
must go down into the valley of humility and sorrow, let 
us not forget that we have been on the mountain. The be- 
loved disciple was in the light of the Spirit on the island and 
there saw visions that are a surprise to all and surpassed 
by no one else. All those visions that he minutely describes 
were revealed to him by the light of the Spirit. He saw 
what was to take place on earth among men, kingdoms, and 
nations, both politically and religiously. Many signs he 
saw that would indicate to the watchman what time it was 
and how near to the great event of the final adjustment and 
restoration of all things. 

It is admiringly astonishing to read the visions and par- 
tial explanations. But the height of it all is reached when 
he sees the new Jerusalem and describes its foundation, 
gates, and spacious mansions. He sees the river of crystal 
water and the tree of life on either side with twelve manner 
of fruit each month in the year. The saints are to feast on 
the delioious fruit, drink of the living water, sing the new 
song to the strung harps, while the crown of victory decks 
the head of those who have had their garments washed in 
the blood of the Lamb, and are there in His righteousness, 
spotless and pure. 

The light was so bright that he could see all this and 
his eyes were properly adjusted to the rays, hence so clear, 
glorious and far-reaching vision. 

He wrote down what he saw so we can also read it to 
our edification. We can ponder over these truths, accept 
and appreciate them through faith and hope, while here in 
contrast to the world's false inducements to follow the way 
of sin that leads to shame, ruin, and utter darkness. We 
call to mind the state of things before light was introduced 
into the world how gloomy, dismal and dark it was. 

Light changed all this and now let us beware of going 



30 The World's Benign Lights. 

to such a state and condition when there is help at hand. 
Light moves along on its swift wings and carries in its 
bosom love for all. Can we realize the true service of this 
as we think of light in all its meanings and applications 
loaded with all blessings connected therewith as free gifts 
from God who is the light and the Son who says, ^'I and 
my Father are one." Let there be light among us. 

The harmonizing, close relations of light and life are 
noticed in flourishing results as the plants grow, blossom, 
and develop into ripe fruit, as man advances in beauty and 
loveliness. Let discord set in and the plants wither, fade, 
and decay, and man dies and becomes a nuisance, among 
the living, and must be assigned to the darkness under 
the sod. 

They are the same rays from the same sun in the former 
as in the latter case, but the conditions of the objects are 
different. One has life, the other not ; therefore, the oppo- 
site results. The same holds true in a spiritual sense. We 
must all pass before the searchlight sooner or later. The 
Creator shall review each one according to the light of the 
gospel. Those who have the new life within their hearts 
will stand the test and shall ripen into Christ's likeness, 
and be called into light and life eternal. But those whose 
hearts are dark in sin shall be darker still and will flee from 
God's presence into utter darkness. The Light of the 
world is the life-line that divides, and the rays come from 
the All-Seeing Eye. The important question is, Can I 
meet the rays of that Eye? Am I on the right s-ide of the 
line? 

Let the light of the gospel search our hearts now, so 
there will be a co-operative response therein at the final 
searchlight review. Let there be light. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE IMAGE OF GOD, MAN. 

Genesis i : 27 — So God created man in his own image, 
in the image of God created he him ; male and female cre- 
ated he them. 

The Creator said : "Let us make man in our own image." 
After all other things w^ere created God formed man out 
of the earth. He had pronounced as good all things cre- 
ated before this. He had created many things to make it 
beautiful and pleasant for man, so he could enjoy himself. 
There were the sun to rule the day by light and to warm 
up the earth; and the moon to shine at night; also, the 
stars, so great in number, to glitter and to make the night 
more delightful. The air was full of birds on their wings, 
chirping and singing their beautiful tunes. The earth was 
green with grass, herbs, and shrubbery. The trees were 
verdant and full of blossoms and their various kinds of fruit. 
In the streams, lakes, and seas, the fishes were merrily 
swimming. There was activity on every side, and interest 
and beauty wherever one looked. In fact, it was in all 
respect as the Creator had pronounced it — good. To top 
the climax, a garden was planted for man, where he should 

31 



32 The Image of God, Man. 

have his headquarters and which he should till and on the 
fruits of which he should live. 

Man should also have dominion over all animals, birds, 
and fishes. He was to be a busy man and to fill a responsi- 
ble position. He went to work and looked over it all, and 
gave names to the creatures. While he was at work in 
these interesting and delightful surroundings, he discov- 
ered that the animals were two of a kind. There was a 
companion for each one of a kind or class of creatures ; but 
for himself he found no one to be an associate such as he 
desired. This caused him to feel lonesome among God's 
lively, undefiled universe. This lonely feeling gave expres- 
sion to his appearance to the extent that God saw that he 
was lonesome. He felt a sympathetic pity for him and 
said : *Tt is not good for man to be alone." Adam could 
not keep up the interest in the things created, it seems, for 
he became disinterested and fell asleep. While he slept, 
God took a rib from his side and formed a woman. When 
Adarh woke up, he was in the presence of the one with 
whom he was not alone, and very enthusiastically ex- 
claimed : ''A man shall leave father, mother, and home, and 
shall cleave unto his wife." 

She was more to him than all the other creation, and 
rightly so. Equal life loves equal life, and is alone with- 
out it. The sensation of alone and not alone is love. This 
experience Adam never forgot. He had been alone and 
knew what it was. He was not alone and enjoyed its true 
pleasure and companionship. The whole creation from 
that time on looked different to him and was more beauti- 
ful than ever. We know the history of the race, to be sure. 
But notice that notwithstanding the fall, the punishment, 
and all consequences, such as that the earth should bring 
forth thorns, thistles, and weeds, that man should eat his 



The Image of God, Man. 33 

bread in the sweat of his brow — he has tried to prove him- 
self a man for all that. 

It has not been said of man from that day to this, from 
so high authority, that he looked lonely or that he was 
alone. On the other hand, he has showed high character- 
istics of manhood. He has gathered material from the for- 
ests and the banks of the rivers, from the quarries and the 
mines in the mountains, and selected a suitable location 
and built a palace for his home-queen. He has employed 
the highest class architect, and the most skilled workman 
to erect the structure in the most symmetrical proportions ; 
indeed, a most handsome, convenient building. Into this 
dwelling, the finest carpets designed by any weaver cover 
the floor to walk on and lace curtains correspond from 
the lace-loom. The walls are made beautiful with the latest 
paper or fresco work. All is done with the intent of mak- 
ing it handsome and comfortable. The walls are orna- 
mented with the loveliest pictures and paintings. The de- 
partments are set off by the finest portierres, or drapery. 
In the library are found the best production of all intelli- 
gent minds in the past and present, and of the greatest 
composition in music, from the most hilarious ecstacy to 
the most sympathetic symphonies, are found there and per- 
formed by someone on some musical instrument. 

In all things, usually the best that can be aflForded are 
gathered and centered in that dwelling. It is a place of 
rest, recreation, comfort, and ease, in health and in time of 
sickness. It is the home, and needs no other definition or 
explanation. Many homes form the community and unite 
to build schoolhouses, churches, and libraries, and attend 
them. They work for the worthy public enterprises of the 
place and to build up the community in general. Usually, 
each family takes of what it has and deposits it in bank of 
general prosperity in the commonwealth, and so helps in 



34 The Image of God, Man. 

some way to swell the surplus that a dividend can be de- 
clared and distributed among all the shareholders in the 
neighborhood. 

From the many homes we invite our friends to come to 
our homes to dine and to spend the evening. Then the 
doors are open and the hearts are cheerful, and nothing is 
withheld that makes the moments pleasant to all and to 
glide by amid merriment. 

These social functions are a standing advertisement of 
any community and a voice of welcome to strangers to 
come and enjoy what we already have, and help us to make 
it better. We all enjoy to live in good society. We all appre- 
ciate its pleasant influence and its gentle blessings. The so- 
cial functions are recreations from close, monotonous busi- 
ness life and help to give a keener insight thereto, with a 
rested mind and body. It would be well if men devoted more 
time to good social gatherings and in that way, for a time 
at least, relieve the mind of the strenuousness of business. 
Men would, on the whole, live longer and be more truly 
sociable; also, enjoy themselves better generally and be- 
come more agreeable in business. 

We have now noticed what men have done. They have 
had no time to be lonesome nor have they been alone. They 
have had their helpmeets to help continually. Woman's 
suggestions and directions have been of inestimable value 
in accomplishing what has been done. Woman's refine- 
ment, style, and good taste is seen through it all. Her own 
grace and loveliness adds the finish in the home. There is 
no home complete without a woman in it; when she is 
there, it is home; otherwise not, no matter how elegant 
the structure may be. Home is home to us without regard 
to the value in dollars and cents. It has the value at which 
two loving and united hearts estimate it, as a dwelling- 
place for their family. This is the true appraisement and 



The Image of God, Man. 35 

it is usually high enough no matter what the rest of the 
world thinks about it. 

Whoever heard so beautiful and enjoyable song com- 
posed and sung of a palace or of a millionaire's mansion 
as that of the little log cabin in the lane, so touching to the 
hearts of the common people ; also, the song, "Home, Sweet 
Home"? 

Man has not shirked in his duties nor tried to evade his 
punishment, but served his time out. He has all the time 
eaten his bread in the sweat of his brow and provided it 
for himself and family. Man has planted shade and fruit 
trees around the home, and the flower-beds on the lawn to 
offset the green grass. The sun's rays sparkle in the spray 
from the fountain. The fowls of the barnyard are provided 
for. Everything is trim, and is an honor to the owner, and 
speaks well of man. All do not have it so enjoyable — for 
they are not able — but a right-minded man plans in that 
direction and moves that way as far as his means will allow 
him to go. 

There are influences brought to bear on man that 
throw him off the right track; when this happens he is 
anything else but a man ; the cause is usually a foreign in- 
fluence that overpowers him and possesses the very center 
of emotion ; and he is not himself. 

Man has also proved himself manly in God's direct ser- 
vice. When in the right relation with God, he has been 
the most humble, obedient, and faithful servant. He has 
done things that astonish us and awaken the highest admi- 
ration, not only of men iDut of God Himself. God has given 
the most exalted compliments to many noble heroes of old, 
through whom He handed down His precepts to man, con- 
cerning His will, plan, and direction. He uses man to help 
man. He reveals His will to men and they, by their exam- 
ple, show other men that it is possible for man to serve 



36 The Image of God, Man, 

God, and to live righteously in the midst of sin and dark- 
ness. God did not employ angels to do His most import- 
ant work, but men. He wanted those who have had ex- 
perience in repentance and had received the new life, for 
they were the most fit to work among their fellow men. 

Man was created in God's image and the breath of life 
from God was associated with that form. Man was a dis- 
tinctly different creature from all the rest. If this breath 
of God could embody the clay of Adam, it also could do so 
again more fully in Christ, the second Adam, in fullness 
and perfection. This body, with all its shapes and forms, 
seems to be Christ's choice to dwell in, and for a reason. 
He chose to be like us in all things, only without sin. Man's 
heart is a fit house for the Spirit to abide in. Christ not 
only appeared in a body like ours but He came and dwelt 
among us in the same sinful world. He worked like other 
men, and had need of food, drink, and rest, as we have. 
He went through all our experiences and was tempted in 
all things, but yielded not. He was made acquainted with 
humanity in all details. He knows what can be done in 
the body, soul, and spirit of man. God thinks His image 
can be made of the highest value. He sees great possibili- 
ties can be accomplished by man, through man, and among 
men, when the new life has taken possession of the heart. 

It was this change of heart that God saw possible and 
set out to bring it about. The Father saw in fallen, sinful 
man the future bride of his only Son. The Son Himself 
saw His beloved bride, chose her while she was in the wil- 
derness of sin, a slave in her servitude. They both saw a 
way, how she could be reached in her plight, set free from 
her bondage, and become pure, handsome, and altogether 
lovely. The plan was carried out to the letter. Victory 
crowned the whole plan of redemption, satisfactorily to the 
Father to whom Jesus returned when the work was finished 



The Image of God, Man. 37 

that He had come to accomplish at that time. The Spirit 
was sent down to earth to take up the work where the Son 
left it. The whole plan of God, the Father, God, the Son, 
and God, the Spirit, was agreed on before man, their image, 
was created and entrusted with the great responsibility of 
representing Jesus and advancing His teachings here be- 
low. Man was to go and preach the good news of salva- 
tion through Christ to all, just as He had done. His dis- 
ciples were to begin who had been His immediate followers 
while He was here, during His whole earthly career. They 
saw what He did, heard what He said, and had His daily 
life for their example to follow. He promised them to 
send the Spirit who would give them courage, reveal the 
doctrine, give them better understanding and more stead- 
fastness in His service. We must take further note of the 
fact that man was created in God's image. See how valu- 
able he is in God's service when in direct loyalty to his 
humble, submissive living of the new life in Christ Jesus. 
Man can be aroused to do wonderful work and even be 
faithful therein unto death. 

Let us look at man from God's standpoint ; for by so 
doing we can perhaps see something admirable, too — what 
we imagine God sees with a perfect eye. We, of course, 
know full w^ell that God sees everything sinful in man, and 
this is abhorrent to Him ; but we will leave that for the 
present and think of man, the image of God, in His ser- 
vice. Let us call to mind what man has done by God's 
help and inspiration. 

Noah w^as an image that represented God very well 
among his sinful generation. He was long-suffering while 
he preached and offered them salvation by the work of his 
own hands, the ark, but they would not accept of him for 
unbelief. 

Abraham is another image of God. He is very con- 



38 The Image of God, Man. 

spicuous and has a striking resemblance of God. He is 
righteous, full of faith and obedience, pleading for the sal- 
vation of the wicked cities. He is a father of a multitude 
of people according to the promise. 

Joseph is an image representing the Son of God so fully 
that the most doubtful can see a strong resemblance. 

What shall we say of Moses, when his face shone to 
the people of Israel? Did it not remind them of the holi- 
ness of God himself? 

David was a man after God's heart. That is certainly 
resemblance enough. How beautiful to read of his peni- 
tent heart as it is poured out before God after he had 
sinned. God loves to see man repent in humility. They 
then are in the right mood that makes them the true image 
of God. David was a different man after he had repented, 
had his sins forgiven by God, and the joy of salvation re- 
stored unto him. He could then sing, play, and compose 
the most beautiful poetry direct from the heart. We can 
compare David's utterances in the psalms and see how God- 
like they are and full of Christian experience. David's 
life and character was developed in the midst of much 
trouble and discouraging difficulties. In all this he deline- 
ates a God-like forgiveness to his strongest opponents. 

Solomon in all his glory represented God as king. He 
was arrayed in grandeur, endowed with wisdom and power 
supreme. He reigned in peace in the midst of well-regu- 
lated religious services in the house of worship built by 
himself to the glory of God and men. 

Elijah was so God-like that the rain from heaven de- 
pended on him for a season and revealed to the people be- 
yond a doubt that Jehovah was the only true living God 
in Israel. He also went up into heaven like a god and was 
seen with Moses on the mount of transfiguration in God- 
like appearance. 



The Image of God, Man. 39 

We can continue and call to mind men whose career in 
life has a very strong" resemblance of God because He 
dwells within their hearts, but this is enough to know that 
man was created in the image of God. Although man fell 
in sin, through Christ he now can become more God-like 
than ever before. 

We want to dwell on what man has done in God's ser- 
vice since Jesus came, suffered, died, and rose again, then 
ascended up into heaven to be with the Father until he shall 
come again 'to receive us home. The disciples went out 
and preached the gospel as they were directed to do, and 
great success attended their efforts. Many were brought 
to feel their sinfulness and asked what they should do to 
get rid of their guilty feeling in their hearts. The disci- 
ples preached repentance to them and after that baptism 
and uniting themselves with the people who were jointly 
serving and working for God. There was a great work 
before them and the early Christians did not neglect their 
duties. See them how they are working ; each one that had 
been converted had someone near and dear to him to whom 
he went and talked about his soul and the need of repent- 
ance, and to become a new man in Christ Jesus. Perhaps 
it was a wife talked with her husband, a husband with the 
wife, a mother with her children, a father with the family, 
a brother to a brother or a sister, a sister to a sister or 
brother. There was work done. They helped in some way 
to do what they could. 

^This wholesome exercise in God's service resulted in 
many thousands being added to the church of Christ. This 
work was like the service the Master was engaged in while 
here among men. Compare the two and see how alike they 
are. Who are the workers but men created in the image 
of God, reflecting God's perfect qualities in their deeds by 
the spirit within. When persecution arose, they kept on 



40 The Image of God, Man. 

just the same; if there was any difference, they became 
more earnest in their work, more devoted to their service, 
more loyal in their faith and more sacrificing even to giv- 
ing up of their lives for Christ's sake. 

We can not but be amazed and wonderfully astonished 
at the torture through which the martyrs went during the 
time of persecution, which lasted for many centuries. This 
multitude of martyrs testify to the firmness with which they 
held out in their belief and work for Christ and his doctrine 
regarding the plan of salvation. 

There is a reason for all this which rests in the fact 
that Jesus sent the Spirit according to his promise when he 
ascended on high. This Spirit works the same faith, trust, 
love, and loyalty at all times, and when the Spirit is most 
needed it is most supplied to each person. Men in the 
church have worked faithfully, earnestly, and persistently, 
we might even say worked God-like, in rescuing the per- 
ishing all around them. The work has been crowned with 
success to the extent of millions on millions. Man was 
created in the image of God and this likeness is not totally 
lost sight of by him. God introduces a plan by which man 
obtains the nature of God and after that becomes His best 
servant. God is very much satisfied to have it so. He 
supports man by all the co-operation possible. God looks 
down among men on earth and sees the many beautiful 
homes built there, and the families that live in peace there- 
in, who carry on industry, develop the community, build 
churches, schools, and attend them. 

God sees it all flourish to the height of earthly possi- 
bilities. He sees His image and is delighted with the sight 
of him. The real home life is a blessed reality which even 
God is pleased to behold. In the home the boys and girls 
grow up and receive their proper training to take up life's 
duties where we leave them. They are to help make the 



The Image of God, Man. 41. 

laws that protect the home and to help elect officers to see 
that the laws are properly enforced. The boys that love 
their home will become the best lawmakers in support of 
the home and will be the best soldiers to defend it from 
the invasion of an enemy. From the home comes the future 
devoted wife to help to make the home beautiful, pleasant, 
and comfortable. It is beautiful to think of the father, 
mother, and the children as one family in the home. It 
is there that God sees his image in man most perfectly and 
there let us look for it also. The best types of manhood 
are developed in the best homes and there we see the best 
reflection of all God's qualities centered. Peaceful dwellers 
in Christian homes are the true images of God and the 
standard bearers of loyalty and best citizenship among the 
most enlightened nations of the world. 



I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning antl the ending, saith the 
Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 
— Eev. 1:8. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE SUPREME GOD: I AM. 

Exodus 3 : 14. And God said unto Moses, I Am that 
I Am, and he said. Thus shalt thou say unto the children 
of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. 

Here Moses has a direct introduction to the eternally 
existing God. He is the One, who was in the beginning 
and all things were created by Him. He states to Moses 
that He has been known before as God Almighty and was 
revealed as such to the patriarchs of old. But to Moses 
now He appears as Jehovah or I Am. When He spake the 
word the worlds and everything connected therewith came 
forth in obedience to the proper place, there to perform 
the duty according to the law set before each one of them 
in the time and space allotted with the greatest precision 
and accuracy. In order to carry out the plan of creation 
in full it was necessary that it should originate, be backed 
up, and be worked out by the eternal existence, I Am. It 
is a foregone conclusion that the greatest power should ex- 
ist first of all power, and that all subsequent power can not 
equal, much less exceed, the prime power. It is also plain 
that the first existence should be complete, otherwise a more 

43 



44 The Supreme God: I Am. 

perfect existence in some quality would attack the incom- 
plete part of the first and so overpower it finally in dura- 
tion. 

All that followed in creation are more or less incom- 
plete or dependent on the first being who is I Am. He is 
complete in existence, unlimited in power, profound in wis- 
dom, unerring in judgment, and victorious in carr3dng out 
all his plans. The name, I Am, is characteristic of Him 
who bears it. There is no other word that so fully and 
completely expresses and defines itself as I Am, especially 
when applied to God, the eternal being. We have all good 
reason to believe that when God, in whom all fullness, wis- 
dom, and reason dwells, should introduce Himself to Moses, 
He would do so by the most fitting name. Especially so 
when He was to induce Moses to go and carry out so great 
and marvelous work and needed the firmest assurance that 
he was supported and directed b}^ an invincible power that 
had neither beginning nor end. There is no doubt that it 
was the most proper name at that time and ever since, for 
it served to persuade and encourage Moses to go. He ac- 
cepted the assurance, received the commission, and acted 
according to both, although reluctantly at first. He proved 
to be a patient and faithful servant of God to the astonish- 
ment and admiration of us all, when we consider the ad- 
verse and discouraging circumstances connected therewith 
and all the time surrounded by a dissatisfied multitude of 
people in a desert without home and visible supply of food 
and raiment for over forty years. History records noth- 
ing like it, taking the time, number, and circumstances into 
account. But it was I Am who sent him to go and do a 
special work for Him. 

Who is this I Am, and where is His dominion? We can 
in our imagination go back ages and ages before the crea- 
ton of the worlds and we find I Am to be there, right at 



The Supreme God : 7 Aiii. 45 

home in the center of the eternal dominion, where He dwells 
supreme, without regard to time or limitation of space. 
He exists in completeness and changes not ; for all elements 
neccessary to unlimited, independent self-being are cen- 
tered in Him. 

In this dominion, ever}i;hing is complete and gives evi- 
dence and expression of fullness as measured by God. 
Here He does not deal with erring humanity, their evil 
thoughts, their faulty expressions, nor use their inadequate 
language. Here God speaks to God in their own tongue 
in the holy of holies, the home of I Am, where no sin has 
ever entered nor ever will. We place ourselves in the 
midst of the universe and there we are face to face with I 
Am, although we may not always know Him nor fully 
acknowledge Him. He is where His work is; yes. He is 
in the midst thereof and upholds it all by His power. If 
our eyes were but open more fully so we could see clearer, 
we should unhesitatingly exclaim : ^'It is God's workman- 
ship we are in, and His hand has wrought beautifully and 
well." 

The more we study and learn to know nature, the more 
we see the resemblance of God and His law therein. The 
mist is gradually clearing away and there is a tendency for 
a clearer and brighter atmosphere In which to worship the 
Creator with more reverence, deeper devotion, higher in- 
tellect, and more fervent hearts. 

The future is the continual presence of I Am when 
time shall be no more ; so we can not get away from His 
presence. He is I Am in all places, realms, and dominions, 
in all ages and periods of time. The Father, Son, and 
Spirit are united as one in the triune God, I Am, and their 
government is centered in the eternal dominion. 

Through the Father, all things originate and He is the 
planner; through the Son, all things are accompHshed and 



46 The Supreme God: I Am. 

He is the Redeemer, also the Restorer; through the Spirit, 
all work is applied and He is the Caller, the Reprover, also 
the Comforter. The Spirit and Son are united by the 
Father in I Am, and the three exist as One Supreme Be- 
ing, in their dominion. 

The Spirit's special mission is in the spirit realm and 
unites it more particularly with the eternal dominion. The 
Son's prime office is in the human world as Redeemer, and 
unites it with the eternal dominion through the spirit-realm 
by the way that He opens through His blood, to the Fa- 
ther's home in His dominion. 

After the Son had opened this way, he sends the Spirit 
here among us and His influence is now the same here as 
in the spirit-realm to apply and reprove. Those who are 
under His full influence have become spiritual by the work 
of the Spirit and have their communion with spiritual 
things. Earthly things should not be uppermost in our 
minds to hinder the close spiritual relation with God by 
the Spirit. This is a gradual process, continually growing 
upward in Christian grace to God's glory. We can not 
think that into the holy of holies anything sinful has ever 
Cxitered nor ever shall come. It, no doubt, was in the 
spirit-realm, where the contest took place between Satan 
and Gabriel, not in the eternal dominion. It was in the 
human world, the agonizing conflict took place between 
the Son and the power of sin, death, and the grave, when 
He gained the victory over them all, and showed that He 
was the Resurrection and the Life. By His suffering, 
death, and resurrection He established the same relation 
between the human world and the eternal dominion as ex- 
isted before between the spirit-realm and that dominion. 
After His death and resurrection, He declares to John on 
Patmos that, *T am the beginning and I am the ending," 
which means complete, uninterrupted existence. Before 



The Supreme God : I Am. 47 

that He stated through the same person in the gospel, '''Be- 
fore Abraham was I am, and I and my Father are One." 
He was by His Father's side when He founded the earth. 
I Am, the Creator, extends the creative point into a straight 
line. This line was extended into a level plain. This plain 
was extended into a cube. The result is the new Jeru- 
salem, the city of the saints, whose length, breadth, and 
height are equal, the final home of the redeemed. 

He calls forth and tosses worlds and planets into space, 
there to revolve and circle according to the law with which 
each is governed. A path for each is directed and a bound 
established beyond which it can not pass. I Am is just 
and merciful in all His functions and is guided in all things 
by infinite love. 

A better understanding of nature and its laws enables 
us to form a higher conception of the Creator and His 
divine dealings with us. The universe, with all its equita- 
ble laws as it came from the hand of God, is a marvel that 
attracts our noblest respect and most reverential admira- 
tion. Its symmetrical sublimity and lofty grandeur can 
not be fathomed in its entirety. But ideal as it is and 
majestic as it appears, there is a supremely higher and 
deeper revelation than the universe itself and that is when 
the Creator appears as the Redeemer in the human world. 
There I Am is truly devoted, amazingly wonderful, and 
humble simplicity. 

He left the heavenly glory with the Father and came 
down to this dark and sinful world and lived among the 
lost, erring, and fallen humanity. He began life as a child 
in the manger at Bethlehem. There the Son of God ap- 
pears as the Son of Man, in the person of a child. There 
all the qualities of a God and that of man are combined 
in one. This is, indeed, great and wonderful, nevertheless 
true. In His earthly career, He discloses that He and the 



48 The Supreme God : I Am. 

Father are One and that He has power Hke a God over all 
the elements in nature and the passions of the human heart. 
He came at a time when the world was full of sin, deprav- 
ity, and utter darkness and said, "I am the light of the 
world." This light shines so as to show up the folly and 
wickedness of a life of sin, error, and shame, also, a way 
of escape therefrom to a place of refuge and safety. 

This is most beautifully illustrated by the prodigal son, 
when he was farthest away in the land of God-forgetful- 
ness; he saw the father's house and resolved to return by 
the way that the light revealed. This light was brought 
to the prodigal by Him who said, "I am the light of the 
world." This light made it possible for him to live, see, 
and return. Light was called forth in the beginning be- 
fore life was introduced into existence to make it possible 
for life to live. It is even so in the spiritual sense; the 
light came to the prodigal so that he should be able to live 
and to see. Life is very closely associated with light. The 
light says I am the life. He sends light, the proper at- 
mosphere, for life to exist in. The two come from the 
same eternal source and are infused into our hearts so that 
we become alive to all that is righteous, pure, and holy, and 
can see light in the light. 

It was this life that resolved in the prodigal to return 
home, that was kindled by the rays from the Light of the 
World. His awakened intelligent heart led him to the res- 
olution of returning home, since by this light he saw a way 
of escape by which he would arrive at home. The Life 
says : ''I am the way," from the deepest and darkest misery 
in sin to the Father's welcome bosom. The Way says : 
'T am the door," and it stands open to all. No one will 
be denied admittance; so while the voice is calling, come 
and enter now. The door says in a gentle, welcome voice : 
*T am the good shepherd." He does not only stand by the 



The Supreme God: I Am. 49 

door but goes into the desert of sin to seek for the lost one. 
He comes direct to us in our most helpless condition, and 
offers us these gifts free, and makes it possible for us to 
accept them. Then we begin to see and realize that we are 
spiritually alive and can, in a measure, experience the real- 
ity and truthfulness of these facts regarding what our 
Savior is for us. This inner experience gives us more rea- 
son to trust Him and rely on what He says ; for the Spirit 
testifies with our spirit that those things are true. The 
good, tender Shepherd says : 'T am the truth," and this 
truth sets us free. We need not hopelessly listen to the 
false statements of the tempter, who is a liar from the be- 
ginning. We have the delightful privilege to hear the 
truth, accept the invitations, and rely on all the promises. 
He seeks the lost ones, brings them light, gives them life, 
opens their eyes, ears, and hearts, endows them with under- 
standing in the heavenly things, and leads them unto Him- 
self for nourishment, protection, guidance, and safety. 

The truth says : "I am the bread of life ;" and we are 
cordially invited to partake of the wholesome daily diet, 
for this bread sustains the Christian life and makes Chris- 
tians grow strong so as to be able to do active, persistent 
work for the Master in His vineyard. The living bread 
says : *T am the living water ; come unto me and drink, all 
ye who are thirsty from the long journey in the drear des- 
ert." There we can drink to our satisfaction from the pure, 
refreshing stream. This stream of living water, in its 
winding way leads us to a good, quiet Christian rest under 
the shadow of his wing. This needed service is rendered 
unto us as sure as the day comes with increasing interest, 
confidence, and enjoyment to both Shepherd and his flock. 
This close relation is properly alluded to and explained by 
Jesus when He says : ^T am the vine, ye are the branches." 
The same life sap that exists in the stem runs into the 



50 The Stipreme God: I Am, 

branches and they must stay close to the stem in order to 
have a healthy growth, so as to blossom and bear much 
fruit. 

We live in a world full of sin and evil. Christ went 
through it all and knows what it is to be tempted like we 
are. He is acquainted with our difficulties, disappoint- 
ments, and proneness to wander away. He therefore has, 
by example and illustration, set these beautiful, striking 
relations of Himself and His followers before us for en- 
couragement, hope, and proof of His personal care for His 
people. It is well for us to dwell under His influence con- 
tinually. We are then the safest from harm and nearest 
to His needed help. Those who are partakers of these 
graces and live thereby are well allotted and have chosen 
the better part for this life and that to come. While this 
is really hopeful and there is no good reason for doubt and 
discouragement, yet there may be moments when even the 
Christian will feel downhearted and harbor thoughts that 
will make him shudder. The result of sin rages all about 
us such as sickness, poverty, separation, death, and the 
grave. These may, like clouds, cast a dark shadow over 
us momentarily. Truly we must abide in the shadow while 
the clouds roll by; but there is even hope then. It is not 
cloudy continually and the sun of hope will lighten us un- 
til we again see the brightness without clouds. 

There is a calmness in death and an illumination in the 
grave, for 'T am the resurrection and the life" are the com- 
forting words of the Savior to the bereaved and disheart- 
ened. It was bright to see angels in the grave but more 
glorious by far to be able to see resurrection Himself there. 
We who believe in Him have the strongest assurance there- 
of, which is a source of peace and calm in the shadow. 
The resurrection is the seal of success of the whole plan of 
redemption, and we can behold by faith its beautiful real- 



The Supreme God: I Am. 51 

ity in the midst of momentary gloom and despondency. 
Our Savior is the Christian's Hfe here. He is the deUverer 
from the prison of death, the resurrection, and He is the 
life beyond the grave. We are then delivered safely in the 
Father's house by the Redeemer according to their mutual 
eternal plan of salvation and restoration. We have assur- 
ance of the eternal city, for Christ gave His life that we 
might inherit a home therein with Him. Christ says : 
"Before Abraham was I am," showing thereby that the 
plan of redemption rests on the same eternal Rock as that 
of creation, and its origin is the same and it has the same 
ending in God, the eternal I Am. 

Blessed are they who live the new life. Blessed eyes 
that see these visions. Blessed hearts that can accept these 
gifts. Blessed ears that can hear these truths. Blessed 
faith that can trust in these promises. Blessed assurance 
that can hope to realize the fulfilment o£ God's covenant. For 
such persons, salvation is assured and Christ is spoken of 
as *'my Beloved" by the chosen bride, the church of Christ. 
All power and existence are inherent in I Am. Nothing 
can be conceived of that will overpower or depose Him 
from His eternal throne. All creatures are subject to Him 
with more or less limited power delegated to them. All 
things antagonistic to I Am can not exist in His immediate 
presence any length of time unless a proper change has 
taken place. This change is wrought within our hearts 
when God gives us everlasting life. This God offers free 
to all but we must of our own enlightened will and con- 
verted choice accept His gracious gift to us. We then be- 
come citizens in the eternal dominion and subjects in that 
government which He has established for our perpetual 
protection, security, and enjoyment. This is a personal 
experience between God and the individual. We can argue 
in theory and reason, but not in experience. Therefore ex- 



62 The Supreme God : / Am. 

perience is on a much higher plane than argument, and 
should not be measured by that standard. . Faith is estab- 
lished and made sure by experience, often contrary to argu- 
ment and logical conclusions. Experience does not over- 
throw argument, go against reason, nor ignore logic, only 
in preconceived instances; otherwise experience changes 
about and opens up a new and better way of harmonizing 
them with our own experience which to us then become 
the strongest and best argument, logic, and conclusion. No 
matter how we reason and argue, we shall finally come to 
the conclusion that we can not be fully satisfied in this 
world. It is not the proper soil for satisfaction to grow 
in, much less develop, blossom, and ripen into fruit com- 
plete. We must be transplanted into eternity for that, 
where all fullness exists and the fruit of satisfaction will 
fill our hearts to overflowing in the presence of God, the 
Father, there to inherit jointly with our elder Brother. 
We shall be satisfied then. The command was for Moses 
to go down to the children of Israel and say unto them 
that I Am has sent him to deliver them from their bondage. 
Moses was to go to them as a deliverer and, with a mighty 
hand, remove the fetters of their bondage. The way they 
were to be delivered was by showing that their God was 
mightier than the gods of Egypt. Moses was the direct 
agent of the only living God. He served him by doing 
many wondrous miracles before Pharaoh. The plagues 
caused him to yield to let Israel go time and again, but 
when the punishment was over he refused to let them go. 
When at last, according to the word of Moses, the first born 
in every family in Egv^pt was dead, Pharaoh allowed them 
to go and worship their mighty God. We see that I Am 
was a powerful God and proved that to the defeat and 
sorrow of the Egyptians and the success and joy of Israel. 



The Supreme God: I Am. 53 

He plainly showed them that He deserved to be worshipped 
as He demanded of them. 

God never asks us to take a step that is not justifiable 
and to our interest. He usually shows good reason why we 
should obey His commands, but at times this is rather ob- 
scure when He has holy, righteous, and trained Christian 
men to deal with like Abraham and many more like him. 
But with a nation like Israel He usually showed them some 
miracle to call their attention to that they were led and 
directed by a mighty God who has not met any being more 
powerful than Himself. He therefore says, "I Am." This 
explains it all. There can be no other being more power- 
ful. He then is complete in existence. He is the height 
of wisdom, the perfection of justice, and the tenderness of 
love. All good qualities are centered complete in Him. 
He is occupying all space in the earth, in the spirit-realm, 
and the eternal dominion; otherwise, other being could say 
here is a place where I am. He, however, is not equally 
confined to all places for there is the outer court, the inner 
court, and the holy of holies. It is astonishing how much 
this name, I Am, implies. It is the proper name for our 
God. No wonder He was known to Moses by that name. 
He has the same name today and proved to us more abund- 
antly what He is and revealed His power beyond reasonable 
doubts that He deserves the name. With all these strong 
evidences, there is a tendency to unbelief, but this is 
brought about more on account of neglect and not being 
interested in our welfare rather than from real investiga- 
tion in these facts and forming a conclusion therefrom. It 
is therefore that the word comes to God's servants today 
as well as to Moses for them to go down to the captives 
in the bondage of sin and error and deliver the people from 
their bondage, for I Am sends the laborers in the field. 
Go down to them with the message of the free gospel and 



54 The Supreme God: I Am. 

salvation for them. Tell them of Christ's miracles among 
men, of His aid to the needy, of His comforting words, 
of His sympathetic efforts, of His power to forgive sin ; 
tell them that He can heal the sick, open the eyes of the 
blind, and restore the dead to life ; tell of the good news of 
peace on earth and good will among men and that the year 
of jubilee has come ; tell them they are all invited to come. 

No one needs to be left out. We all can engage in His 
service and help the good work along. We can do some- 
thing and we shall have our reward and satisfaction of 
knowing that we have in some way worked for the Master 
who has done so much for us. If we are on the Lord's 
side we have nothing to fear for there is no higher power. 
Let us worship Him with all due reverence for He is the 
absolute, complete, infinite being I Am now as of old. Let 
us read the firm testimony of the Lamb himself that was 
slain but is alive forevermore, at the Father's throne. I 
Am, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last. 
He that liveth and was dead and is alive again forever 
and hath the keys to death, the grave, and can open the 
book and reveal all mysteries in due season. He is the root 
of David, that eternal existence for its sap. To this root, 
we are engrafted, grow, and ripen into like manner of fruit. 
He is worthy of our appellation : Holy, holy, holy. Lord, 
God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come. Since 
He is coming, let us be awake on the watch-tower with our 
lamps burning, looking for His return. We will then be 
in the right spirit and ready to meet Him. These things 
are said by Amen, the beginning of creation, the restorer, 
and the ending thereof. We can say nothing authentic 
against them of a lasting duration, but submissively bow 
our knees in all due reverence to the mighty I Am, the 
glorious Amen. 

The lofty, majestic mountain needs no other material 



The Supreme God: I Am. 55 

for its solid foundation than itself. It towers above the 
clouds, covered with pure white snow, and demands no 
other more resourceful reservoir for new supply. The 
sun's gentle rays combine their work and the snow melts, 
flows down the mountain side in rills, brooks, and rivers, 
filling lakes, watering vegetation, slaking the thirst of life, 
maintaining the life of plants and their fruits, entering into 
veins of animals, including the very heart of man, renews 
vigor, and gives needed purification and refreshment. Thus 
its mission on its way to the ocean, carrying with it all 
possible impurity ; then the ever active rays of the sun take 
it up in the air, form clouds, and carry it back to the 
mountain top, as pure and useful as at first, with not a 
particle lost or wasted. This circuit is repeated again and 
again with no perceptible variation nor delay. 

We realize this process in our bodies as we daily partake 
of God's blessings in the way of nourishing refreshments. 
This is an emblem of the ever existing mountain, I Am, 
with its base in the eternal dominion, whose mighty power, 
resourceful, everlasting, beneficial blessings of infinite love 
and mercy flow in abundant streams down into creation to 
bestow them upon the whole universe, especially mankind. 
He is the I Am in the beginning and completion of cre- 
ation, supreme in His masterly work that recommends the 
nature of His stately workmanship, thus ending the cir- 
cuit of creation. 

He is the I Am in the beginning and completion of re- 
demption, submissively obedient in humility unto death and 
resurrection from the grave; thus completing the circuit 
of redemption. He ascended to the Father. He is the I Am 
in the beginning and completion of restoration, faithfully 
promising to come again and receive the bride to the Fath- 
er's house, thus fulfilling the circuit of restoration. From 
this mountain top flows the river of life and on its side 



56 The Supreme God : / Am. 

grows the tree of life. This mountain furnishes materials 
to build the best characters and a fit temple for the most 
high God. On this mountain grow the olive trees that 
supply the lamps with oil to light the world. From the 
quarry in this mountain side, the tables of stone were taken 
on which the law was written. On the mountain, the 
prophets sacrificed and the Father ofifered up His only Son. 
On its side, the Shepherd feeds His flock and from its top, 
He ascends to the Father. From the mountain, I Am, our 
Betrothed shall come again to take His bride to the Fath- 
er's house. The top of this mountain is abundantly cov- 
ered with righteousness, purer than snow. Its inner gentle 
radiation turns it into universal blessings that feed the 
spring of life as it runs down into the human world and 
most profusely reaches mankind. 

There is an invisible connection with the sun and the 
diamond, hidden in darkness and covered with dust, that 
becomes more visible when brought to the surface, where 
the colors glitter and the value appears. We are reminded 
of the same relation in the water of the dark clouds in the 
sky, where the same colors are blending to make out the 
admirable rainbow. The flowers of the field are only a 
step nearer to us, revealing the same line of thought, with 
vegetable life speaking to us in its beautiful language. Be- 
hold, at our feet the caterpillar lies, which, by and by, will 
appear unto us a lovely butterfly and move onward and up- 
ward as beautiful as the flower with animal life connected. 

The eloquence of it all is man himself, forming another 
and nearer link in the chain of creation and revelation, 
more wonderful and beautiful than all the rest. It is the 
image that can speak to God and God to him. It is this 
lovely creature that is chosen to be the bride of the Son 
of God and the marriage will take place in the Father's 
house at the time appointed. The Bridegroom is now in 



The Supreme God: I Am, 57 

the Father's presence, while the bride is continually waiting 
for his return. When He comes again, the invisible to us 
now will appear visible unto us in all its connections. Then 
it can be truly said by every faithful believer that I am with 
I Am, which is home eternal. 



He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the 
churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of 
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. — Rev. 2:7. 

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have 
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the 
city.— Kev. 22:14. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE TWO CHARACTERISTIC TREES. 

Genesis 2:9 — And out of the ground made the Lord 
God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and 
good for food : the tree of Hfe also in the midst in the 
garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

During the creative period of six days, God gave expres- 
sion to His choice and will ; as the result, we see manifested 
the whole universe of variety, beauty, and usefulness. 
Choice and will are qualities inherent in God. It was God's 
plan that a creature in His image should have dominion over 
all living creatures on the earth and should care for and 
keep the Garden of Eden. In order properly to fulfill the 
important duties of this high office, man must be endowed 
with conscience, will, and choice, the functions of which 
are necessary in the person to execute in so important a 
calling. 

It becomes plain to us why man was thus created with 
conscience, will, and choice : the position he was to oc- 
cupy demanded it and man was made to fill the demand. 
God's breath to man delegated these qualities to him; for 
man was God's image in qualities and in functions as well. 

59 



60 The Two Characteristic Trees. 

God's glowing words and elements are indelibly imprinted 
in man's life. Conscience, will, and choice aid man to 
exercise judgment in the light of wise .reasoning. The 
highest attainments in these excellent qualities are reached 
by the actuating promptings of love from an unselfish 
heart. 

Thus we have the fullest and noblest manifestation of 
life in man ; for to the highest officer was given the most 
efficient expression of power and executive ability. God 
saw how necessary and useful these qualities would be in 
man's life on earth. The need of these in man is just as 
apparent after the fall; for disobedience did not deprive 
man of them. The innocent, exalted, and expressive life 
as exhibited in man had knowledge of the two trees in 
the garden : the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of 
good and evil, and of God's respective permission and 
warning connected with each. God is love and the full- 
est manifestation of His affection for His subjects is to 
endow them with and to recognize in them will and choice, 
and enlighten their conscience by the inclinations from 
love of Divine origin. 

Man was to eat of the fruit from the tree of life, but 
was foit)idden to eat of the fruit from the tree of knowl- 
edge of good and evil ; for if he did, it would result in 
suffering, destruction, and death. Man was to be tried 
by the test of continual obedience. In connection with all 
this, there Is an opposing deceitful power that made Its 
presence before man In his innocent state. This power 
of evil was once in the truth and Its estate, but did not, 
for some reason, abide there ; he rebelled, became a liar and 
a murderer, "the father of lies." He Is the serpent who 
used his skill In inducing our first parents to disobedience, 
which resulted in the fall of man and all Its consequences. 
They were separated from the tree of life by the angel 



The Two Characteristic Trees. 61 

with the two-edged sword that guarded the entrance, and 
man, with the appetite for the forbidden fruit, was to have 
the experience of his Hfe in the results of the fall. The 
fruit was good if left alone, but became evil by disobedi- 
ence. By partaking of the fruit, man's life and nature 
became like the fruit he ate, deadly unto death. 

By studying the man that ate the fruit and the symp- 
toms it gave him, we will learn more fully of the results 
of the tree and its fruit. Man represents the knowledge 
of or the experience with good and evil. We have rem- 
nants from the Garden of Eden handed down to us that 
we may at will examine and allow to convey to us undis- 
puted, convincing evidence in regard to good and evil, and 
which we choose by will, in our every day life. God in- 
stituted in the Garden of Eden the covenant of marriage 
and its beautiful, useful, and enjoyable field of action, the 
home. Surely they are among us to-day with audible 
voice and plain language. 

Man, as one person, was created good, but in the midst 
of the beautiful creation, it developed there was a lack, a 
void, a want to be supplied. A lonely feeling crept into 
his heart and gave expression to it in his appearance be- 
fore God. Man saw all living creatures in pairs, and man 
alone. This is a very useful and essential sensation of the 
heart, the one component element of love itself. Man 
awoke from this state of loneliness and its sensation in the 
presence of the object of his choice and his will was to 
leave all else for her companionship. This sensation of 
the heart is the other constituting element so essential 
that -makes up love. This is a fair example of what can 
be aroused in man's heart and with what functions he was 
created, only waiting opportunity for development. This 
is one of the most interesting facts, and is of common 
occurrence among us to this day from before the fall. The 



62 The Tzvo Characteristic Trees. 

man and wife in the garden were united in marriage as 
one person and are so united now. The father, mother, 
and children were to be as one family then and are so now, 
with the home as their common abode. 

The first family life resulted in two sons after the fall, 
one doing good before God ; the other doing evil accord- 
ing to God's word. Here is another manifestation of the 
tree with the fruit of good and evil. God spoke to Cain 
before he did the bloody deed and made it plain to him : 
*Tf thou doest well, shall thou not be accepted? And if 
thou- doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Thus with full 
knowledge and warning, Cain's wilful choice resulted in 
taking his brother's life, who gained communion with God, 
while Cain obtained experience with a guilty conscience in 
sin. Man obtains the most complete and impressive 
knowledge by personal experience, whether good or evil. 
Thus experience gives man the best instruction and his 
life is the best school. 

God created all things good and for a special purpose, 
but all things were not good for man to eat. There are 
many things for man to leave alone now as w^ell as before 
the fall. As long as Adam and Eve let the forbidden 
fruit alone, no harm was done to anyone. It was dis- 
obedience in their hearts that changed their knowledge 
and experience from good to evil and has done so ever 
since. Disobedience to all well founded laws brings evil 
and sad experience. Disregard for any law has its evil 
results ; be it the laws toward God, health, marriage, home, 
or government, God did not create the evil ; that is cre- 
ated by those that rebel, disregard, and disobey. Evil 
arises from the innermost heart and forms a dark cloud 
of sin that intervenes between God and man. The seed 
of evil came to the heart of Eve by the deceiving serpent's 
voice and lod2:ed there to action. Evil existed before 



The Tzvo Characteristic Trees. 63 

man was created and that is why God told them of the 
tree of good and evil ; also of the result of eating its fruit. 

Evil is to life as darkness, sickness, poison, and death, 
whose experience produces in man the most complete 
knowledge thereof. The benediction of God's blessing 
rests on the father, the mother, and the children as a fam- 
ily growing in the knowledge of good and the experience 
of its many blessings ; but evil will creep into this life from 
another source. The home so sacred is invaded by the 
serpent who comes to despoil what is so peaceful and fair. 
There is nothing more certain than the existence of good 
and evil and our experience therewith. Man is possessed 
or dominated over by one force or the other. There is 
no neutral state. Man must, by choice and will, co-operate 
with one or the other, according to election by intelligent 
enlightenment. The all-important question to us is to 
which voice shall we listen and submissively heed? God 
warned Cain, as He did his parents, of the possible evil 
and its results. 

Pharaoh was foretold of every single plague that 
should befall him and his people, and had the choice to let 
Israel go, and be relieved from the plague, or to retain 
the children of Israel in bondage and be afflicted with the 
judgment of God. He exercised his choice every time as 
he would have it be. 

Judas was told by the Master Himself that he should 
betray Him and in this full light and knowledge of evil, 
Judas did his dastardly, cowardly deed. The reason of 
his betrayal is given by Jesus : ^'Because the Devil having 
already put into the heart of Judas to betray him." Ac- 
cording to this, the old serpent has the same poison of sin 
in his tongue and is ever alert for his prey. His sting is 
aimed at the center of life, man's heart. His intention is 
to do harm unto death, under the disguise of good. 



64 The Two Characteristic Trees. 

God is entirely set against evil and does not sanction 
it ; but His long-suffering allows it to exist side by side 
with good for a season. The wheat and the tares shall 
grow together until harvest, but shall eventually be di- 
vided. From a kernel of wheat that falls into the ground 
and dies, a new life springs up, forms straw and chaff, 
also a new kernel with the same life within ; but the chaff 
and kernel shall not always be together. They will finally 
be separated by the voice of God. There is, then, in man 
that which perishes and that which lives eternally. This 
eternal life is God's gift to man through Jesus Christ, 
His only begotten and beloved Son. Jesus is the Tree of 
Eternal Life with its magnetic development that draws 
our lives by cords of love into Himself, so our lives be- 
come hidden in Him and God can see but one pure living 
tree with its fruit. 

The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sins. The life is 
in His blood and the blood of Jesus flows to our hearts by 
faith in Him. His blood removes the sin from our hearts 
and gives us life and a clear conscience, so we have peace 
with God, with man, and with ourselves. This peace is 
worthy to be sought after, to be compared with the wages 
of sin. The highest diploma that is obtained in the school 
of sin is entire dissatisfaction at last, and utter disappoint- 
ment. This is an unenviable crown to obtain, at the end 
of life, for faithful and hard service in sin and worldly 
pleasure. 

Each human life is an experiment with good and evil ; 
yet one is the ruling power from the heart. King David 
is an example of a life of good and evil, but he did not 
continue in the evil, when he saw it in the right light. He 
repented deeply from the evil and sought, more persistently 
than ever, to do the good. Abraham was tested with a 
severer test than our first parents were and stood the test 



The Two Characteristic Trees, 65 

until God said : ''It is enough." Joseph also retained his 
good character through life. There are so many wit- 
nesses for the good and true side of life that testify by 
life and in death of the wisdom to choose the good and 
shun the evil. ''The potter wrought a vessel and it was 
marred in the hands of the potter and out of the marred 
lump, he made a new vessel such that seemed good unto 
him." Man was marred in the hands of God before he had 
completed his time in the furnace of test, so God, out of 
the marred man, made a new creature in Christ Jesus and 
this is the vessel of mercy and of love, which is an honor 
unto Him and contains all the heavenly graces for use and 
keeping among mankind, and is tested in the most heated 
furnace of persecution and martyrdom. 

Those who yield to temptations and give themselves 
over to the old serpent become vessels of dishonor, not be- 
cause they have not had the opportunity, but because they 
prefer marred lives. God foresaw who should accept the 
ofifer of salvation and embrace its living truths unto final 
restoration of all things. He also knew who would rebel, 
reject, and shun His offer of free salvation in Christ 
Jesus. Jn His wisdom, long-suffering, and love, God per- 
mits the most wicked men to live on with the privilege of 
choosing anew a life in sin, or repenting unto a new life 
according to the faith in Christ Jesus, who is the eternal 
life unto us. God could strike the evil-doers in death be- 
fore they did their evil deeds, and thus prevent the evil, but 
it is not His plan so to do. There are men whom nothing 
but death can keep from doing evil, and, to them, death will 
finally come as the only preventative, when all other means 
are exhausted ; because God is merciful, patient, and lov- 
ing. The angel with the two-edged sword still guards the 
entrance to the tree of life and separates man therefrom, 
"That he shoiild not eat thereof and live forever." 



66 The Tzvo Characteristic Trees. 

There is a new door that opens to the way that leads to 
eternal life, and that is through the body and in the blood 
of Christ Jesus, lifted up on the cross on Calvary. There 
is the exhibition where the way, the truth, and the life has 
His experience with the deceiver, the murderer, and the 
father of lies. This tragedy draws the attention of all men 
and will give a marked impression that can not be erased 
from man's mind and heart. Man must deal with it per- 
sonally in one way or another ; either accept it as true to 
himself or else as false unto himself personally. The power 
of evil is a tremendous power with a retaining force that 
is hard to describe ; so it is not a light thing to tear away 
from sin and unbelief. It requires a stronger power which 
is in Christ to do this, and it requires a struggle in man's 
heart and often a severe one. 

That the power of evil is mighty we learn from the 
words of Jesus, as follows : *'Now is my soul troubled, and 
what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; but for 
this cause came I unto this hour." Girist came for that 
purpose and He accomplished what He came for and set the 
resurrection as a seal to it all, and placed the crown of vic- 
tory on the life and head of the risen Lord. The story of 
the cross has been kept alive by preaching of the gospel 
and by collected selections of inspired writings, which are 
made alive in man's heart by the Spirit that came in an- 
swer to the prayer that Christ prayed to the Father when 
He ascended on high. 

The Spirit longs to give us, and is anxious that we shall 
accept, the experience of this new life. The inner testi- 
mony of a tru€ heart is that the life as it is found in Christ 
Jesus is the only satisfaction to be gained in this world. 
This experience goes direct to the center of the existence 
of life, or, rather, is the existence of the new life, and we 
then feel its thrill in our hearts which moves us to Chris- 



The Two Characteristic Trees. 67 

tian activity, and will be a continual living experience and 
expression of good to the world. Experience most effect- 
ively moves man to lasting, realistic, rational conclusions. 
This experience is principally between God and man him- 
self, but it gives expression of the new life in us to the 
world and we know that there is a God because the true 
Christian life revealed in us is so much like the life of 
Christ among mankind. 

True Christian lives are of great value in this world. 
Without them, this world would be almost intolerable. The 
Christians are continually working to establish the good and 
allay the evil. Their persistent efforts are expressed in 
constant preaching ; in fervent prayers, public and secret ; 
in urgent solicitations and face to face talk; in distribution 
of the Bible and sacred books. All these efforts are prer- 
sistently kept up as holy incense ascending up to God and 
calling for Him to descend with His blessing to give life to 
the seed sown and an abundant, fruitful harvest. 

Thus we have good and evil before us. Let us ask God 
to help us to choose the good ; for we can not do this of 
ourselves. He knows what is in the way and how we can 
be rescued. Let us yield ourselves entirely to His influence, 
let them become hidden as one with His and we can appear 
before the Father as righteous in Christ Jesus. We then 
will be engrafted into the tree of life and restored finally 
to the Father. 

The true value of a Christian life and its influence on 
others is nowhere more beautifully revealed than in the case 
of the widow, Naomi ; the influence of her life on others is 
no more impressively portrayed than in the case of Ruth. 
Both had experience with famine, sickness, and death ; so 
one could, in true sympathy, comfort the other. Ruth was 
with her people, while Naomi was among strangers. Seem- 
ingly, Ruth might have remained with her people with more 



68 The Tzvo Characteristic Trees. 

propriety and shared her sympathy with her sister-in-law, 
Orpha, but she did not. Naomi's beautiful life had awak- 
ened in Ruth a beautiful choice and persistent will, which 
is best expressed in her own words : "Intreat me not to leave 
thee, or return from following after thee ; for whither thou 
goest, I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge ; thy 
people shall be my peolpe, and thy God my God ; where 
thou diest, will I die and there will I be buried." 

Let us turn our eyes to the life of Christ Jesus from His 
earthly beginning to His human end. Let us listen to His 
words among man and on the cross. Let us feel after the 
inspiration of His life with our hearts and we shall experi- 
ence an influence that will move us to a grander choice than 
Ruth and to a more determined will and we, like Ruth, shall 
appear in direct line of the heavenly genealogy, with blood 
relation to our elder Brother, with whom we are joint heirs 
to the heavenly estate. Disobedience to our own awakened 
and enlightened consciences is the most irritating state in 
which a person can be. It causes an annoying disposition 
in the individual which usually inflicts itself on all those 
with whom he comes in contact. It is customary in such 
cases not to trace the fault to the right place with the in- 
tention of removing the cause ; but rather, to attribute it to 
some one else. 

This has been the habit since Adam and Eve first intro- 
duced it, nor has this fashion changed any during this long 
interval of time. This way of trying to avoid the accounta- 
bility has, however, not been successful in the presence of 
the All-seeing Eye, before whom we shall all appear. We 
can not move away from a reproving conscience ; for it 
will follow us wherever we go; nor will it let us have peace 
as long as we continue to disobey its gentle voice, especially 
when we know better and speak and act contrary thereto. 
In cases like these, it is best to look first to our own hearts 



The Tzvo Characteristic Trees. 69 

to examine them ; to listen to the conscience. Let us not 
blame anyone until we know we are right ; then we can deal 
better and more effectively with others. 

We have the kind invitation to take all our troubles to 
Jesus, who understands them all and is willing and can help 
us. He is our place of refuge amid all disturbances and is 
the remedy that removes the evil from our hearts which 
was brought there by eating of the fruit from the tree of 
knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life is always 
good ; it is God himself. The tree of good and evil is man, 
who is good and evil. The evil branches can be engrafted 
into the Tree of Life and entirely partake of His nature, 
then the good will predominate and develop into fruit of 
its own kind. Man will have experience with good and evib 
which should lead him to choose the everlasting good by 
God's graceful, loving help. The two trees in the garden 
'represent God and mankind and their experience. 

The ripe experience of Job speaks thus : 'Tor I know 
that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the 
latter day upon the earth ; and though after my skin worms 
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom T 
shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not 
another, though my veins be consumed within me." This 
is a gem from the lowest depth of difficulty and distress in 
human experience and is of the highest value and glitters 
as such in all its variety of genuine colors. It is the hope- 
ful sign above in the dark, threatening clouds visible in the 
same glorious manly hue, which reminds us of the flowers 
in the oasis and the lilies in the marshes. It is the evolu- 
tion of the caterpillar of unbelief into the beautiful high- 
soaring butterfly of* truth and life, a living reality, though 
without visible connection. It is the outburst of eloquence 
of the image of God speaking to his friends. It is the con- 
fessed experience of man in the presence of God. It is the 



70 The Two Characteristic Trees. 

most eloquent expression of man among man. It is the ex- 
perience of the two trees engrafted in the tree of Hfe and 
the fruit that grows on its branches and is delicious as it 
becomes our own. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE PERSONIFIED WORD OF GOD. 

John I : I — In the beginning was the Word and the 
Word was with God and the Word was God. 

The resourceful, searching mind of man, in all conscien- 
tious, consistent investigation and reasoning, will arrive at 
the correct conclusion that there is an invisible first cause 
that has produced all creatures and things that are about us. 
By observing and studying the creation as a whole and its 
laws, we learn the certain necessity of the Supreme Cause. 
Our very limited ability and dependent functions argue to 
us this fact and that the universe is its direct effect. Here 
man is compelled to stop in conjecture and imagination, un- 
less this cause, in some way, reveals to us who He is. This 
has been done so completely that man need not be in doubt 
thereof, nor wander indifferently about in the paths of 
error and, uncertainty ; but march on in the firm highway 
of truth and light verified by man's experience. 

Man, as a creature of God, is a strong evidence to him- 
self that there is one Supreme God, the Father of us all ; 
for man was developed in the image of God by the power 
of the Word imparting His life into man and by that pro- 

71 



72 The Personified Word of God. 

cess, can become the crown of creation. Each class of mat- 
ter, each kind of creature, and the power of maintaining 
and developing the same is a distinct link in the chain of 
creation; but each is also an evidence that a power outside 
of this chain must have existed to produce the links, to form 
and weld them and give the touch that starts all in motion 
to perform harmonious action and service to the inherent, 
inspiring force from the command of the Word. 

Each creature is like a link, distinct in itself, yet one 
part of the united whole creation. Each has laws, func- 
tions, and cravings of its own, peculiar to its kind or class 
than can not be denied, doubted, nor done away with by 
mere contradiction. Man's increasing knowledge of these 
laws and functions makes man the strongest evidence to 
himself of the one God, and the revelation of himself 
through the Word his most complete expression. The crea- 
tures have appetites and natural cravings that must be sat- 
isfied and consequently, they are provided for by the Crea- 
tor in all wisdom. In man, therefore, we can look for the 
expression of the highest and noblest development of these 
inner inherent functions, found complete in the Creator. 

Man has, in common with the lower animals, cravings 
for food, rest, and protection and has these wants supplied 
daily as he needs them. Man also has in the heart a func- 
tion that longs for a communion with God and will not be 
satisfied with anything less. This longing is also abundantly 
provided for, and in a wonderful way that appears mysteri- 
ous because of sin. The fall of man in sin did not deprive 
him of any of the cravings, not even the religious; but it 
sadly perverted them into paths of error, sin, and shame. 

Man drifted into the most bewildering state and would 
have given up in despair but for the Word in the begin- 
ning, who came and spoke the truth and made the promise. 
At that time, man, in his fallen state, did not try to deny 



The Personified Word of God. 73 

God's existence, but tried to flee away and hide from His 
face, because* he was not fit for God's presence. It is here 
the Word comes to man's rescue. The Word knew how 
man was constituted, and what means could be used to 
arouse his attention, to make him consider and finally re- 
pent of his otherwise downward course to destruction. On 
the day of the fall, the Word became the Mediator between 
God, the Father, and man, the transgressor. This is aston- 
ishingly appropriate and interesting beyond description to 
fallen mankind. The Word well knew what link in the 
chain had been broken ; what check had been caused there- 
by in God's peace toward man ; what dark, ugly cloud of 
sin had risen; what terror was in man's heart, and what 
impassable gulf intervened. The Word knew what the 
Father demanded and what must be removed in order that 
man could have peace with God. There w^as a possibility 
that man knew not of and for which it never could have 
entered into his heart to ask. So in love, mercy, and com- 
passion, the offer came from God through the Word. 

In order that this Word should become the most effect- 
ive in expressing, representing, and revealing God, He 
shou'ld become flesh like one of us and dwell a season in our 
midst. This promise and covenant on the day of the fall was 
to be kept alive before the people for generations until the 
time of fulfillment. Thus those who lived before Christ's 
coming, believed in a Savior to come^ and those who lived 
after, believed that He has come, according to the promise, 
and fulfilled all, according to the covenant. This Mediator 
has appeared at many times and, in various ways, used char- 
acters of holy men along life's highway to help explain and 
interpret God, the Father, to man. Governments, laws, and 
religious services were instituted, typical of what should 
take place when the Savior came. These ordinances were 
to be continually observed and their language was to voice 



74 The Personified Word of God, 

and keep the important truths ever before the people, and 
to explain their deep significance as centered in Christ, the 
Word, among man. 

The Word was the seed that sprouted, grew, and flour- 
ished into the tree of life, visible at the surface of time. Its 
roots ran deep into the eternal Rock, with branches, leaves, 
blossoms, and fruit extending into time from the beginning, 
revealing qualities and power of the invisible Creator. All 
vegetation is a continual evidence of the seed of its kind 
in the fruit thereof. So the fruit of creation has the seed 
of its kind as originally sprung from the Word that was 
power to produce it all as it was. This Word is the force 
of all forces; the power of all powers; the magnet of all 
magnetism. He is all in all and reveals Himself in His own 
way most effectively to produce the best final result. All 
His attributes, so plainly manifest and glorious in creation, 
are far deeper and grander in redemption. The Word is 
not only among fallen man, but takes His place and stands 
in His stead before God as the guilty one ; lives among sin- 
ful man as the righteous one ; suffers the penalty unto death 
and the grave in order to save and rescue man from his 
slavery in sin and set him free before God and so obtain 
peace forever. 

The origin of the plan of redemption can be traced di- 
rect to the heavenly Father's heart, full of love for fallen 
man. The Word gives full utterance to this in His life, 
death, and resurrection. He and the Father saw there was 
none other that could cross that awful chasm that sin has 
made and live through it all, having power within to come 
back from death and the grave. The Word placed Him- 
self in the place of the lost man in humility, suffering, tor- 
ture, and death. He poured out His blood on the earth 
where the sin was committed and established obedience unto 
death where disobedience reigned in terror and sin. 



The Personiiied Word of God. 75 

Jesus is the Word most significant to our hearts, in 
effect of expression and communication. Let us open our 
hearts for the full meaning of the Word and so receive the 
soothing power that it gives of its virtuous inspiration of 
forgiveness, peace, joy, love, and the kindling of the new 
life in our hearts by its life-giving power. When the Word 
became the Mediator between the Father and lost man, the 
Word gave signs that man better understood, because they 
were of common things, and connected there with a deeper 
spiritual meaning that the Word stood for and made special 
covenants to connect with certain observances and at the 
same time had a revelation in them concerning' the meaning 
of the Word. Let us read these signs and learn their mean- 
ing, concerning the Word itself and His office as Redeemer 
and Restorer. 

A body was prepared for the Word and the sign was 
that He should be lying in a manger. There were numer- 
ous other signs connected with the Word becoming flesh to 
dwell among us. The Holy Spirit, like a dove, descended. 
The Voice said : 'This is My beloved Son," also that His 
bones should not be broken, nor should His body see cor- 
ruption in the grave. All these signs are centered in Christ 
Jesus, who is the meaning and fulfillment of it all unto us. 
His life on earth is the living Word completely expressing 
God's will toward man. We can read this Word and learn 
its meaning in regard to the plan of salvation through re- 
demption and restoration. 

The virtues of this living, inspiring Word went out to 
the needy of all classes ; no matter what the ailment might 
be; whether" the body, the heart, or the spirit of man suf- 
fered, in Him was virtue and ready help for all. The 
Word revealed a deep reverence and adoration for the 
Father and developed a constant need of communion with 
Him. The Word, of itself, craved the humblest obedience 



76 The Personified Word of God. 

to the Father; an intense desire to do His will to the ut- 
most was Christ's pleasant duty. The Word gives the full- 
est expression and reveals the deepest and most significant 
meaning of its live mission in the Garden of Gethsemane, 
and on the Cross, where the Word utters : ^'Father, for- 
give them ; for they know not what they do." "Verily, I say 
unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." 
''Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Having said 
thus, He gave up the ghost. 

The Word was hung on Calvary's cross for us, died in 
our stead. His body was laid to rest in the grave for three 
days until the resurrection morn. 

The Word that was in the beginning, on the cross, and 
in the grave, was Himself the life of all life and so rose 
from the grave, victor over all opposition. He proved 
Himself to be the same Jesus after the resurrection as be- 
fore, to the satisfaction of His mother and His disciples, 
including doubting Thomas. 

After fulfilling His mission as Redeemer, He prayed the 
Father to send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter ; He also told 
the disciples to continue to pray until the Holy Ghost should 
come upon them in great power. He said He was going 
to the Father, but would come again and receive us unto 
Himself in the fullness of time. Thus "The Word was made 
flesh and dwelt among us." His mother perceived the Word 
and it meant to her all that a holy Son means to a mother. 
The angels saw the Word and to them, it meant all that 
their song contained. The shepherds saw the Word and to 
them, it revealed all that the sign implied. The wise men 
saw the Word and they worshipped Him and gave presents. 
Simeon saw the Word and interpreted it as salvation to him 
and all the world. John saw the Word and read it right: 
"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the 
world." Peter saw the Word, and understood its meaning 



The Per sonified Word of God. 77 

for he said : "Thou hast the words of eternal Hfe and we 
beHeve and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of 
the Hving God." The disciples to Emmaus saw the risen 
Word, who revealed Himself so their hearts \Yere burning 
with the living eternal truths. Thomas saw the risen Word 
and pronounced it to be : "My Lord and my God." 

This is the meaning of the Word as interpreted by Him- 
self : *^These are the words which I spake unto you, while 
I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which 
were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets, and 
in the Psalms, concerning Me." Then opened He their un- 
derstanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and 
said it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead 
the third day; and that repentance and remission of sin 
should be preached in His name among all nations, begin- 
ning at Jerusalem. '"And ye are my witnesses of these 
things. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com- 
manded you. And lo, I am with you, alway, even unto the 
end of the world." These words revealed all to the dis- 
ciples that is implied therein and they received the miracu- 
lous manifestation of the Holy Spirit that has continued ever 
since, nothwithstanding all opposition. It is the working of 
the power of the Word among man unto salvation which 
can not be quenched. To us that now live, this Wbrd be- 
comes doubly interesting, for we read there the fulfillment 
of all prophecy concerning Him as completely finished on 
the cross. We have the covenant of all covenants in His 
blood carried out to the letter and Spirit from God's side 
in Christ's death and resurrection. Since all is finished 
according to the covenant, we must accept that as a fact, 
not in general terms, but each one personally ; that is, for 



78 The Pcrson{£ed Word of God. 

me alone, as if there was no one else but the Father, the 
Son, and myself. 

The Word has proved that He is the life of all life in 
the beginning and on the cross and in the grave. The 
Word makes plain the bountiful stream of life in Christ 
Jesus and that our lives should flow into it and be hidden 
in His life. Our prayers should unite with His on the cross. 
''Father forgive," yes, forgive me, and the prayer to send 
the Holy Spirit should be joined by mine: "Send it upon 
me, even me." 

His life is our city of refuge to which we should flee 
when the destroyer is after us. He has once conquered the 
destroyer and death by His life, and is the safe foundation 
to build upon. God, the Father, looks down on earth and 
what does He see along the stream of time? With Noah, 
He sees the rainbow ; with Abraham, He sees circumcision ; 
with Moses, He sees the blood, the serpent of j!)rass, the 
mercy seat, and all memorial institutions, and on Calvary, 
He sees His own Son. All these remind Him of the cove- 
nants connected with each and of His part to the contract. 
Under these circurstances, can we think God will not ful- 
fill His word? No, never; such a thing would be impos- 
sible. 

On the other hand, God's plan of salvation and restora- 
tion is set in motion by His mercy and love, and as long as 
these keep moving, there will be day and night to all liv- 
ing hearts. The rain will fall on the just and the unjust 
alike, so will the sun shine and all things common to man- 
kind will happen to them tempered with mercy and love in 
a world of sin. 

The Savior's life removed unrighteousness from the 
earth and established righteousness; so the Father, looking 
down on earth, sees and acknowledges this righteousness 
as complete. The price was paid by the blood and the 



The Personified Word of God. 79 

guilty man, before God, stands free. All this, the Word 
reveals in the plainest terms. Do we believe it to our salva- 
tion? The Word came to our first parents in their inno- 
cent state and told them the truth, but the serpent, the 
father of lies, also came and told his deceitful falsehood, 
which, when heeded, caused the fall. Man did not fall so 
low but the voice of the Word could reach him and awaken 
him to consciousness. The Word, the Truth, the Way, the 
Life has ever since been striving in all these ways and 
methods to persuade lost man that the serpent told a lie 
and should not be believed. The truth as it is in Christ 
Jesus and as revealed by the life of the Word and its 
recorded history, the Bible, should be believed and the 
promises relied upon according to the covenant therein. 
The Word has told His story and proved it. The serpent 
has told his story and deceived us. Shall we remain in 
deceived unbelief or accept the truth? If we accept the 
truth, the truth will make us free. If we refuse to believe 
the Word, He becomes a lie to us because we make Him so 
unto us by not believing what He says to us concerning our 
salvation; but give our lives to destruction by heeding the 
tempting serpent. 

The Word has gathered up abundant evidence of its 
truthfulness, so much so that prophecy has been positively 
stated, which is history written in advance, and history is 
the recording of what has transpired. Let the two histories 
be compared by careful and thoughtful reading and research 
and the result will guide us to wise conclusions. The cities 
whose complete destruction was foretold are yet in ruins. 
Those kingdoms whose downfall was predicted have not 
risen again to power. All prophetic revelations concern- 
ing the Jews have come true and they are scattered among 
all civilized governments of the world, having no country, 
nor ruler, yet remaining one people ^yith one religion. All 



80 The Personi-fied Word of God, 

earthly power combined — rulers, statesmen, and armies — 
has not been able to overcome the result of the prophecy. 

God's plan is not to be set aside, nor to let His purposes 
be defeated in the end ; but He works marvelously and with 
patience. The ruins of cities that have been in quiet slum- 
ber for centuries have been stirred up by men interested in 
archaeology. The result has strengthened man's belief in 
the truthfulness of the Bible. To the rudest and lowest 
condition of unbelief in man's heart, Christ extended the 
plan of salvation and there can place the spark of eternal 
life and, from its ruin, establish the fact and truth of the 
new life in Christ Jesus. This life will truly repent of the 
old life, exercise the good judgment of a repented choice of 
living the new life, and express the determination of a re- 
pented will to serve Him continually and receive the re- 
ward. 

To all who entertained the hope of an earthly Kingdom 
in splendor, with Jesus as the King over them, and to those 
who enviously wanted Him out of the way, Christ's death 
on the cross and burial in the tomb represented the ruins. 
But from these apparent ruins, Christ raised Himself up 
and established the strongest evidence possible that the story 
of the Bible is true and that He is the center of it as well 
as the beginning and the ending. Unbelief has ever since 
tried to do away with this strong evidence ; but the facts 
are as we now find them : that all foretelling by unbelief 
concerning the destruction of the Bible has proved untrue 
and the Bible is more read and studied now than ever be- 
fore. 

In the face of all this, there is a vast difference between 
the scientific, doubting man, in search of truth, who will 
eventually find it and the indifferent unbeliever in search 
of nothing. For such person, any revelation, let it be ever 
so evident and beneficial, will have no value, nor cause any 



The Personified Word of God. 81 

awakening from his slumber. Before Christ ascended to 
the Father, He made it plain that the Holy Spirit should 
come to earth and do His mission, and also that He, 
Christ, should come again and take His beloved to the 
heavenly mansions, for where He is, we shall be also. He 
will then be the Restorer as He is now the Redeemer. 

We can, with joy and composure, look for Him, who 
believe on Him to our salvation and fully rely on His prom- 
ises. He is the Word in the beginning, on the cross, and 
before the Father. His life, death, and resurrection on 
earth took place according to the recorded prophetic revela- 
tion written in the Bible. Profane history and the work- 
ing of the Holy Spirit confirm it. The Spirit's witnessing 
with our spirit makes us the strongest evidence that the 
Bible is the word of God, and that the Word is God, and 
that we are invited to share eternal glory with Him. 



Now will I sing to my well-bqloved a song of ray beloved touching 
his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful 
hill.— Isa. 5:1. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE BELOVED IN THE GARDEN. 

Solomon's Song 6 : 2. My beloved is gone down into 
his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in, the garden and 
to gather hhes. 

We are well aware of who it is that is speaking here 
and of whom this is spoken. It is the bride complimenting 
her bridegroom, who has come down to make her a visit. 
The beds of spices attract his attention. He takes great de- 
light to be among them. These beds of spices are the lives 
of Christian men and women whose undivided service, fer- 
vent prayers, and adoring praise ascend like incense before 
God, a sweet savor. Our thoughts as well as deeds, be they 
good or bad, rise up before Him and testify of our conduct. 
It is God, the Son, that always comes down to man for no 
one can see God, the Father, and live on earth. All com- 
munications from the Father to man come through the 
Mediator, God, the Son, and often by some chosen man- 
servant worthy of the important mission. God came down 
to our first parents in the garden of Eden and they enjoyed 
His pleasant presence and communion very much for a time. 
His coming did not cease with their fall in sin of disobedi- 

83 



84 The Beloved in the Garden. 

ence, for He came to them after that, also, although an un- 
welcome visitor at first. He told them the consequences of 
the fall, its awful and far-reaching results, but also the 
hopeful assurance of the release and the remission there- 
from through the Savior's incarnation, death, and resur- 
rection, by the fallen individual's faith confided in the effi- 
cacy of its saving and lifegiving power. God came to the 
erring ones in love and through grace offered salvation by 
faith to all who will accept it. The sacrifices of Cain and 
Abel went up before God, one with more pleasure and 
satisfaction than the other, and in like manner the response 
came down as an answer to their different service and de- 
votion. The notice of this difference caused Cain to slay 
his brother, whose blood went up unto God and testified. 
God comes down and asks Cain where Abel is. To this he 
gives the evasive answer declaring that he is not his broth- 
er's keeper. But when God states that it was his brother's 
blood that called Him to come down, Cain pronounced judg- 
ment on himself. In like manner our thoughts and deeds 
rise up before God and when we are really made to feel 
in our hearts in God's presence what we have done, and 
know that He sees it all, there is no other refuge but to flee 
to Him and confess it just as it is and just as we are. 
Therein is salvation, release from guilt, and protection. 

God set a mark on Cain so it should not happen to him 
according to his own sentence aroused from the conscious- 
ness of his guilt. Noah is a bed of spices in his genera- 
tion and God comes down to him and in close communion 
develops a wonderful Christian character of persistent, pa- 
tient, and devoted service. But his own work and cor- 
responding faith in God saved him and his whole family. 
This is not all : when the flood was over, Noah, from his 
own free will and heart's inclination, built an altar, took of 
the animals, and sacrificed unto God. This sweet-smelling 



The Beloved in the Garden. 85 

savor brought God down and He then and there showed 
His approval, and entered into a binding and a very import- 
ant covenant with Noah, never again to destroy all people 
with a flood for all time. As a token thereof God set the 
rainbow in the sky, whose distinct, yet luminous, blending 
colors speak to all succeeding generations including us, of 
God's faithfulness to perform what He promises. Let us 
think of and appreciate this all-significant covenant and 
resolution between God and Noah and apply its wholesome 
lesson to ourselves for profit. The same can be said of 
Abraham and his house. He is a bed of choicest spices, 
worthy of the keenest study and admiration. The noblest 
Christian qualities are here brought out so real and true in 
the height of man's implicit confidence in God and the depth 
of his humble submission to God's will as examplified in 
Abraham's whole life. This savor of his life ascends like 
incense before the Lord and results in Him coming down to 
visit Abraham in his tent. There the most intimate com- 
munion takes place while they dine together. God dis- 
closes His innermost secret by telling His intention of de- 
stroying Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham feels the effect 
of this close relation and at once takes advantage thereof 
by pleading for mercy in behalf of the two cities. He is 
successful to the extent of saving all that was worth saving 
according to Abraham's standard, for He wanted the righte- 
ous saved. He is rewarded for his faith and righteousness 
by being selected to become a father of a great and mighty 
nation while he had no children and was advanced in years. 
His faith and reliance, however, is not wavering in the least 
and after many years of patient waiting a son is born unto 
him. This increases the trust and confidence in God, but 
he also meets the severest test in his life, for he Is told by 
God to go and sacrifice his only son in whom the promise 
was centered and by whom It should be fulfilled. In obedi- 



86 The Beloved in the Garden, 

ence to this command Abraham gets up early in the morn- 
ing to accompHsh what God required of him. For three 
days, Isaac was dead to Abraham, so to speak, and at the 
cHmax of the test God staid the hand that held the knife 
by saying, "It is enough/' Abraham's test was complete 
and he received his son back to life again. This interesting 
event foreshadows Christ's death and resurrection and 
points down to him with the utmost accuracy and precision, 
while Abraham's faith in the reality fulfilled in Christ was 
counted to him for righteousness. God came down to Isaac 
and renewed the covenant with him and the blessing was 
transferred to his son, Jacob, to whom also God came down 
when he had to flee from home on account of his misdeeds. 
Jacob at Bethel vowed to God if He would help him he 
would serve God faithfully. He seems to have forgotten 
this and for many years went on with his checkered and 
somewhat questionable career until finally God comes to 
him again and reminds him of his early promise, and tells 
him to go and fulfill the same. Jacob's cry and later deeds 
brought God down and engaged in a wrestle with Jacob all 
night long before He gave up, but after the struggle Jacob 
became a different man and received a new name. Prince 
with God. He was blessed with much property and many 
children, among them the most conspicuous, Joseph, the be- 
loved son, who really was blessing personified not only to 
his father and brothers, but to all people and nations as 
well. 

To Joseph God comes down and develops the most per- 
fect character in all Christian graces ever set forth in the 
Bible. Joseph had varied experiences from being a slave 
to the ruler next the king in Egypt. He passed through 
adversity as well as prosperity, avoided snares, and with- 
stood temptations. He continually adhered to truth and 
righteousness during his whole life. His loving and for- 



The Beloved in the Garden. 87 

giving spirit to the erring, his humble, submissive obedience 
and universal blessing extended to all, makes him a most 
true and descriptive type of the Savior Jesus Christ. 

Moses, the deliverer, is another bed of spices to whom 
God comes dov^n with a special message to go and deliver 
His people from their bondage in Egyptian slavery. God 
had trained him to do this work and gave him assurance 
that He would be his continual support and guide. Moses, 
having so strong faith in God, was able to accomplish this 
work so well that he received as the reward thereof a full 
entrance into the heavenly promised land, while Israel was 
only permitted to enter the earthly. 

Elijah, the sacrificial high priest, also is a bed of spices 
in his time, to whom God descends in a most miraculous 
manner in answer to his earnest prayer on Mount Carmel, 
and decided with fire that Jehovah was the only true living 
God in Israel, and deserved their undivided service and de- 
votion. 

All these instances and many more too numerous to men- 
tion, form, as it were, a token like the rainbow of God's 
faithfulness to do what He has promised and to visit hum- 
anity in special manner at critical periods and bring about 
His work through His chosen servants. He also sent mes- 
sages through angels, and last, by His own Son, when He 
really came down among us and first appeared in Bethlehem 
as a child. Jesus Christ is the visible God that has come 
down. He came to the arms of Simeon who was continu- 
ally in the temple, praying and serving God. Simeon was 
a bed of spices from whom incense ascended and to whom 
the Son of God descended. 

In the host of witnesses for God there appear these se- 
lections more prominent, forming, as it were, a rainbow 
of decided, blending Christian colors, as continual evidence 
of God's faithfulness among the threatening clouds and as 



88 The Beloved in the Garden. 

an index points down to Christ who is the fulfillment of 
all the law and the prophets. He has come for us all, rich 
or poor, high or low, young or old, there is no difference. 
He is the same Redeemer to us all. O depth of wonder! 
The Son of God appears among us as the Son of Man in 
person, as a child. He came for a noble purpose. He had 
duties to do, a mission to perform, a plan to carry out. He 
came down to feed among the beds of spices. He must be 
about His Father's business and it was His meat to do the 
will of the Father. He had a strong desire and continual 
longing that could not be satisfied with anything else than 
to do the will of God. He could, seemingly, neglect His 
duties to His earthly parents in order to be about His Fath- 
er's business. He could be isolated from all human beings in 
the wilderness forty days, tempted by the devil. He would 
be alone in the mountains all night long after a hard day's 
work in communion with the Father concerning His will 
and humanity's welfare. His whole life was devoted to 
help the needy, the helpless, and the outcasts among the 
lost race. He chose to be despised, rejected, and forsaken 
for our sake. He finally gave Himself unto death on the 
cross in humble, submissive obedience to God for our ran- 
som. His agony in Gethsemane, scourging before the peo- 
ple, torturous death as well as the outrageous, hideous ut- 
terances of the enraged multitude, only adds to the testi- 
mony, ''Not my will but thine be done." 

He came down to feed in the garden, truly. It is our 
beloved Who has come down from the glory with the Father 
to do His will on earth for our salvation that we can ob- 
tain life and the blessing of peace with God by faith in Je- 
sus Christ. He came and accomplished all He purposed 
and proclaimed on the cross that all is finished, and then 
the spirit separated from the body. He was laid in a new 
tomb, but His body did not see corruption, according to the 



The Beloved in the Garden, 89 

Scriptures, and also as it is written, the grave could not 
hold Him, for He was the Resurrection and the Life. The 
conquering Hero is risen, the strongest evidence of victory 
over the wages of sin, death. He remained on earth forty 
days and in various ways abundantly manifested to those 
who believed in Him that He was the same Jesus who was 
with them before He suffered and died. Having done this, 
He ascended up to the Father from the midst of the dis- 
ciples and now, in the presence of God, He is our advocate, 
pleading in mercy for us and continually making interces- 
sions in our behalf. 

But He did not only come down to feed among the beds 
of spices. He also came to pick lilies. These lilies grow in 
the garden where they have been planted by His own hand 
and are cared for by Him from whom they receive their 
life. Their pure white color has been obtained by being 
washed in His crimson blood and havcj become spotless and 
beautiful in the sight of God. They are the choicest of His 
own selection. These lilies are the true Christians in all 
ages, and often grow in humility and obscurity, like the 
Master himself. They are many times unnoticed by the 
world, even shunned and little thought of. Nevertheless 
they are very precious in the eyes of our Beloved. They 
are tenderly cared for until the time comes that they shall 
be picked ; then His own hand gathers them and transplants 
them in the eternal flower-bed where they will abide forever 
and neither wither nor decay. 

The disciples were His first choice. He called them one 
by one from their humble occupation in life to follow Him 
and receive proper instruction and encouragement, besides 
a perfect example in His daily life among them. He gave 
them power to perform miracles and sent them out to heal 
the sick, restore the lame, feed the poor, give sight to the 
blind, and proclaim to all that Jesus Christ, the Savior of 



90 The Beloved in the Garden. 

the world, has come to receive them. They were successful 
to the extent that many were added to the little band. They 
also met with serious opposition. The disciples did not 
have but a partial understanding of God's plan of salvation 
and cared not at first, for much was reserved to be revealed 
to them by experience. The Master knows best what to 
teach and when His lessons may become the most effective 
and best remembered by them. Wlith all their shortcomings 
and erroneous ideas, He was very patient and showed them 
a deep sympathy. He knew what was in man and His ob- 
ject was to develop that which was good so the people at 
large could see and learn. This is beautifully set forth in 
the conversation with the woman who answered Him, "The 
dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master's table." 
Her great faith was fully developed in this, her answer, 
and she received help accordingly. For all the good the 
Savior did, He received but comparatively little recognition. 
Especially is this true of the Pharisees and high priests, who 
invariably planned against Him, even to taking of His life. 
They devised to put those to death also who were immediate 
subjects for His love, compassion, and help. When Jesus 
raised Lazarus from the dead, the Pharisees planned to put 
him to death ; for if they allowed him to live, he would 
be too, strong evidence of Christ's power, and all would be- 
lieve in Him, by reason of His miracles. 

As the days passed by, Jesus began to tell His disciples 
that it was necessary for Him to go away and revealed to 
them little by little in what manner. They, however, did 
not then understand Him. Toward the last, He gave them 
special instructions as recorded in the Gospel of St. John, 
beginning with the fourteenth chapter, and containing many 
comforting words of deep sympathy for them, and closing 
very properly with a prayer to the Father for them, in their 
presence. We can read these words today the same as the 



The Beloved in the Garden. 01 

day they were spoken. They have the same comforting ef- 
fect on us as they had on them, for they are words of hfe 
and are addressed to the needy in proper season, so as to re-- 
Heve them. That all His teachings and service should not 
be forgotten, and in memory of Himself, He instituted the 
Lord's supper for a memorial feast. Having eaten the 
passover. He took the bread, broke it, gave to the eleven 
disciples and said : ''This is my body, broken for you ;" 
and likewise the cup was passed as an emblem of His blood 
poured out for a remission from our sins ; and, as often as 
this was done, let it be in memory of the Lamb of God that 
takes away the sin of the world. What an appropriate, 
solemn, impressive memorial sermon, conferring unspeak- 
able blessing on all who are fit to partake thereof. After 
singing a hymn, they crossed the brook into the garden of 
Gethsemane, so it can truly be said "My Beloved has gone 
down into the garden." Here the disciples became heavy 
with sleep while Jesus went a short distance from them to 
pray. This was repeated three times. We can now s<^.e 
Him in the greatest agony, pleading with His Father to 
have the cup pass away without drinking it,i if possible, but 
also added, as earnestly, "Not my will but thine be done." 
Here He realy learned, it seems, the Father's will to the 
uttermost, and as fully determined to fulfill every letter 
according to the law and the prophets. Here He was feed- 
ing in the garden as well by doing the will of the Father. 
God's will must be done. The lost race must be saved. 
Jesus, the Son of God, was the only one who could do this. 
He was willing to make the sacrifice and did so. Not one 
of the disciples were awake to speak a comforting word to 
Him during this trying hour. Having passed through this, 
the enemy had come, and He gave himself into their hands 
after showing them that He had power to resist and could 
command legions of angels to defend Him. But nothing 



92 The Beloved in the Garden, 

of the kind was done for His own protection. The only 
plea was in behalf of His disciples to let them go. He was 
a freewill offering without blemish, as a lamb led to the 
slaughter. Jesus was taken by the soldiers, led to the high 
priests, Pilate and Herod. At all these places, at each one 
in a peculiar way. He was mocked, reviled, and rejected, 
and an increasing demand was made for His life, from the 
enraged multitude. In their presence. He was scourged, 
crowned with thorns, arrayed in an old mantle, with a reed 
in hand, all representing mock royalty; and yet there was 
no sign of sympathy that could be aroused for Him among 
that bloodthirsty mob. They bowed their knees, shook their 
heads in their anger, and cried : ''Crucify Him !" Being 
sorely pressed by that multitude, Pilate reluctantly gave 
consent to have it done. Jesus carried the cross to the place 
where He should be crucified and there was nailed to it and 
raised up among two malefactors, one on either side ; and 
there, in view of and surrounded by that enraged people, 
Roman idolatrous soldiers, in the most bitter agony, He 
bowed His head and said^ *Tt is finished," and His spirit 
was commended to His Father's hands. Where sin, shame, 
and hatred were mostly manifested, there grace abounded 
much more ; for He prayed the Father to forgive them for 
their evil deeds ; and to show His saving power by grace, 
He forgave the sins and saved one of the malefactors cruci- 
fied by His side, who cried to Him for help and proclaimed 
Jesus innocent, and acknowledged Him as King before the 
whole people. He wanted to be remembered by the dying 
King in Paradise. This thief, or robber, is worthy of more 
than passing notice. He was fastened to the cross as a mal- 
efactor; as a sinner on the cross, he repented of his sins, 
received pardon by grace from Jesus Christ, proclaimed 
the gospel of salvation to his other brother in sin, who was 
in the same condemnation and on the verge of dying. Be- 



The Beloved in the Garden. 93 

sides this special message to him, it was intended for all 
who stood by and all generations to come that he preached 
the power of salvation by the blood of the then dying Lamb 
of God. It can be said that the malefactor really died as 
a martyr for his faith and confession. A man with that 
belief and decided public expression among that class of 
people would not have been allowed to live. If he had not 
already been on the cross he would^ soon after these utter- 
ances, have been crucified as was his confessed King. 

We remember the same class as they stood around Laz- 
arus' grave after he was raised from the dead. They not 
only wanted to slay Jesus but Lazarus also ; and there is no 
evidence that they have repented by this time but rather be- 
come worse. From this bed of spices in the garden, the 
prayers of Jesus and the malefactor ascended like incense, 
and the answer to them came down in the presence of all 
standing about there. Our Beloved came down into His 
garden among the beds of spices to feed and to gather 
lilies. It was His meat to do the will of His Father. He 
did His Father's will among men, in the garden of agony 
and on the cross. We are now redeemed by the precious 
blood of Jesus Christ unto God. He should not only feed 
in the garden but also came down to pick lilies. The re- 
pentant thief had just like a lily burst forth in Christ's 
righteousness provided for him as white and spotless as the 
Savior's blood could make it. He was really a pure-white 
lily. The B'eloved, with His own hand,^ picked him up and 
carried him through the valley of the shadow of death, and 
he was transplanted that day in Paradise. God has shown 
us that He is merciful and can save instantly, as the thief 
on the cross. He has shown likewise that He is patient and 
longsufifering by giving the generation of Noah one hun- 
dred and twenty years in which to repent, and to those who 
crucified His only Son He extended their lives, that they 



94 The Beloved in the Garden. 

might repent and live. One is as much God's plan as the 
other, although we can not at all times reconcile them. Al- 
though the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, they were only 
our agents. It was the sin of the world ripened to full 
maturity that caused Jesus to be crucified. Each individu- 
al's sin was represented and did his share to lash Him with 
the scourge, press on the crown of thorns, fasten Him to 
the cross, and thrust the spear that pierced His side. We 
must feel that we have a part in causing the Savior's death 
in the depths of our own hearts for then we can not doubt 
the deed and then we are the most fit to accept God's grace 
through faith and be fully released from this awful guilt 
and realize the cleansing power of His love that gives us 
peace with God. The Spirit seals this on our hearts with 
an everlasting assurance. Let us remember as in the olden 
time the priest made the blood of the lamb to flow for his 
own sins as well as the people's, so we had a part to do in 
slaying the true Lamb and in pouring out His blood. We 
made righteous blood to flow for our own sins and this 
blood is what saves us by faith and grace. It is a God- 
given grace to be able to accept salvation free of grace 
by faith. 

Our Beloved has gone down by the hands of righteous 
men into a new tomb, and there rested until the glorious 
morn, when He arose; for death and the grave could not 
hold this victim because He was the resurrection and the 
life. All had taken place according to the scripture and 
this should encourage us to implicitly put our, confidence in 
Him and His word and trustfully rely on His promises. 

In every community where prayers ascend, Christ comes 
down in answer with blessings. From the churches where 
prayers go up to the throne of grace, our Beloved comes 
down and meets the members. From the home that sends 
up prayers to the Father, He comes down with the answer. 



The Beloved in the Garden. 95 

He comes down to the individual heart that cries unto Him 
with blessings, words of life and comfort. He comes down 
in the community, and, from the church and home. He 
gathers the lives in budding spring, in blossoming months, 
and in the ripe harvest season. Are we His choice, and 
ready when He comes? Our Beloved has come down into 
His garden to feed and pick lilies. He is also coming 
again to receive us unto Himself. 



And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth 
say, Come. And let him that is athirst say. Come. And whosoever 
will, let him take the water of life freely. — Kev. 22:17. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE BRIDE IN THE WILDERNESS, 

Solomon's Song 8 : 5. Who is this that cometh up 
from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? 

Here we behold two persons, side by side, journeying 
along life's pathway, one leaning on the strong arm of the 
other. They are interested in one another. They have left 
the same place and are on a journey to the same destination. 
There is something peculiar about them that awakens curi- 
osity and attention among those who see them. They in- 
quire who is this that walks so agreeably and leans so con- 
fidentially on him whom she loves. They are coming up 
from the wilderness and are on the way to the Father's 
house, their eternal home. In answer to this question, we 
can say it is the true church of Christ, showing her full 
love, devotion, and companionship, to her Beloved, Jesu& 
Christ. He is to be the Bridegroom, she the bride. She 
is delighted in His company and leans on Him for support 
through the wilderness. He found her a slave in bondage 
and severe servitude, lost from her father's home, bewil- 
dered and suffering for want of proper food, raiment, and 
place of rest. In this awful, indescribable state, she saw 

97 



98 The Bride in the Wilderness, 

no way of bettering her condition and had no hope for 
the future. 

The Son left the Father's house, and went down into the 
wilderness in search for the lost one. He went over the 
mountains and across the dreary, dry plains, seeking for her. 
He searched and longed to see her. He called out to her 
so she might hear His voice and stop. He finally finds her 
in a miserable, destitute condition, in need of food and 
water, for it was a barren, dry wilderness, dark and dreary. 
He had with Him light and life and oflfered them as a gift 
if she only would accept them. She did so and her eyes 
were opened and new life throbbed in her heart as she met 
Him who showed such love and sympathy. She realized 
that love begets love and the spirit life must have nourish- 
ment to feed on and a suitable robe to wear. He brought 
all this and more for her use and comfort, indeed all that 
was needed on the journey. 

No wonder she will cling to Him who found her in, and 
rescued her from, that miserable, destitute condition, and 
proved just such a companion to her as she needed. She 
will always remember this and appreciate His loving kind- 
ness so free. She will ever be true to Him, let come what 
will. She is contented by His side and has full confidence 
in His guidance. Her thoughts often revert to her former 
days but only the more to adore and admire Him, who then 
in her plight selected her as His only choice and offered 
His assistance and support through the desert of sin to the 
Father's house where the marriage will finally take place. 

The Bible presents many true Christian characters show- 
ing how strong, as a body, the church of Christ is, when 
resting on the only Rock of Salvation. Peter leaned on 
Him for boldness to speak as he did on the day of Pente- 
cost. It was the same Peter who denied the Master as He 
was about to be crucified, but Peter has learned by that sad 



The Bride in the Wilderness. 99 

experience that it is far better to confess the Savior under 
all circumstances than to deny Him in face of imaginary 
danger. 

Peter met the same loving Master after the resurrection 
as ■ ^e although he had denied Him thrice. Three times, 
Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Peter answered : *'Yea ; 
Thou knowest all things ; Thou knowest I do." This face 
to face confession of his love and devotion brought out the 
duty of Peter to feed the sheep and the lambs. Peter was 
one of the three disciples with the Savior on the mount 
of transfiguration. He, with the other disciples, stood by 
when Jesus ascended and heard the commission to go and 
proclaim the good news to all people beginning at Jerusa- 
lem, where they should remain praying until the Spirit 
should come down with special power. The Spirit de- 
scended and they received His power and began to preach 
the gospel to those assembled. 

John leaned on the Beloved continually and perhaps 
more fully delineates Christ's love than any of the rest of 
the disciples. We have reason to believe this from reading 
his letters, which he wrote so full of exhortations to love 
God and the brethren. The gospel also goes further and 
deeper in showing Christ's close relation to the believers and 
their dependence on Him. This revelation is a marvel and 
shows what can be done through a person who yields him- 
self up entirely to the influence "of the Spirit. He had a 
clearer insight into God's plan of redemption and restora- 
tion than any of the disciples. 

Paul, in his erring, bewildering condition and rage of 
persecution in the desert of sin, had a great light come to 
him and stopped him in his way. This shows how the light 
first comes to a person, and when it comes, he stops and 
finds himself in an atmosphere where he can partly see his 
condition and feel his misery and attain an inquiring mood. 

LOFC. 



100 The Bride in the Wilderness, 

This light showed Paul where he should go and what he 
should do. This is in accordance with Christ's own words. 
He goes like a shepherd to seek and to save that which was 
lost. Here the light sought Paul and gave him instruction 
for him to follow. He went as the light showed him and 
there was a man with special instruction what to say to 
Paul when he arrived. This is a marvelous conversion of 
Paul and serves to change him entirely. His enthusiasm, 
zeal, and loyalty to Christ and His doctrine became even 
greater than in his persecution of the church before. This 
shows the change this new life brings about in a convert. 
Paul joined the church of Christ and leaned on Him through 
good report or bad, with friends or foes, in prosperity or 
adversity, even in imprisonment and martyrdom. He leaned 
on Him most assuredly while he fought the good fight and 
ran the race set before him until he obtained his reward, 
the crown of victory which awaited him and all members 
of Christ's church. 

Stephen leaned on our Beloved and found a strong sup- 
port. He was filled with the Spirit and saw heaven open 
and angels, standing rea \ to welcome him home to Abra- 
ham's bosom. We see that the early Christians were pros- 
pering and they dwelt togel ler in peace and harmony, en- 
joying church fellowship under the leadership of the apos- 
tles. Now, when persecution arose and they were called 
on to give up their lives for their faith and profession in 
Christ Jesus and for advocating the doctrine concerning His 
death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, this 
stern opposition made the church lean on her Beloved more 
firmly than ever and cling to Him more closely. The church 
found Him to be just the right one to support her, and she 
reached out for His strong, helping hand that could defend 
and protect her, and could unify the small group in stronger 



The Bride in the Wilderness. 101 

faith and devotion to Him who called her from darkness and 
bondage to freedom and light. 

What stronger evidence do we need of the church's 
fidelity to her Beloved than that recorded on history's pages 
of the persecution of the saints during the long, dark ages. 
It is heart-rending and makes one shudder to read the his- 
tory of the martyrs when so many millions gave up their 
lives rather than give up their faith in Christ and their hope 
of future life of peace and joy. We do not think of this 
evidence seriously enough and therefore we do not feel the 
strong assurance that we should. These people leaned on 
their Beloved on their way of persecution through the wil- 
derness. It was indeed for them a difficult journey, con- 
nected with all possible hardships. Their experience served 
to unite them closer and with faith depend on Him more 
fully. They had a steadfast eye on the reward and a heart 
set on no other object than the Beloved and how best to 
glorify His name on earth. Not only was the rage of per- 
secution against the lives of the Christians, but their perse- 
cutors destroyed in great number the Christians' Bibles and 
religious books that were so dear to the believers to com- 
fort them in their troubles and distress. The plan^ of wor- 
ship were also destroyed. In fact, it is indescribable and 
we can hardly divert our thoughts so as to get a clear idea 
of the atrocities perpetrated to the church of Christ. Dur- 
ing all this she remained loyal in love, devoted in virtue, to 
her Beloved. 

Since that time the church has enjoyed more freedom 
and has been expanding marvelously. The gospel is spread- 
ing faster now than ever before and more persons are pro- 
claiming the truth abroad. Many millions of Bibles are 
scattered among all nations and peoples. The church of 
Christ is flourishing and her ambition is to be pleasing in 
His sight and faithful in His service, until He comes to re- 



102 The Bride in the Wilderness, 

ceive her unto Himself. The church and her Beloved are 
not always to remain in the wilderness. They are on a 
steady march away therefrom and have their faces set Zion- 
ward to the Father's home. There is to be a wedding day ; 
it is so appointed. The marriage will take place in the 
Father's house. A feast is to be spread there in the spacious 
mansion. Now the bride and bridegroom are by the 
Father's authority inviting the guests to the marriage. The 
invitations have been sent out ever since the bridegroom 
was on earth. He more specially left the inviting to the 
bride. The voice of welcome is extended for all to come 
to the marriage of the Lamb, for all things are now ready. 
All classes and ranks are invited. The sick are wanted 
there ; the lame must not be missed for want of proper con- 
veyance to the feast ; the blind are to be led to the wedding ; 
the poor are not excluded ; the rich are urged to come and 
make no excuses ; sinners of the worst sort are most cordi- 
ally bidden to take part; no one is left out; so reads the 
invitation. 

All things pertaining to the feast have been arranged ; 
a robe of righteousness is provided for each, as becoming 
to one as to the other. There is a place at the bountiful 
table for us all. Sweet music will soothe us without tiring. 
The bridegroom will serve the guests at the table himself 
and see to it that nothing is wanted. The cup of each will 
be filled to overflowing with satisfaction of all the heavenly 
refreshments of God's grace and love in the eternal home of 
peace and joy. The call to the feast has been going on 
ever since pentecost, with more or less responses at different 
periods. It is going on today. So if you hear the voice do 
not delay but come now. The marriage will soon take place. 
It is nearer now than it has ever been at any time before. 
There is great danger in delay. If you hear the call accept at 
once and be assured of a place at the feast. 



The Bride in the Wilderness. 103 

It will be a joyous occasion. The bride will be adorned 
with wreaths of beautiful flowers and decked with a crown 
of glittering jewels. She is, arrayed in a robe of white and 
her appearance is very attractive and altogether lovely. The 
flowers and jewels have been gathered, one by one, along 
the stream of time, and have been assigned their proper 
places most conspicuous for ornamentation so the bride shall 
be perfect in her bridal appearance. The bride has been in 
co-operation with the bridegroom all along the way through 
the wilderness in selecting, gathering, calling, and inviting, 
yes, even urging them all to come to the great joyous feast. 
How lovely the bride will be in her apparel, with her bride- 
groom by her side. She has been unswerving in virtue, 
true in trust, devoted in submission, and constant in love to 
her Beloved while she was on earth, and now she is His 
real bride in the Father's house. 

There will be no limit to the joy at the marriage. All 
moves at the undisturbed will and most gratifying pleasure 
to the unceasing harmonious heavenly music where duty is 
changed to :pleasure and the greatest is servant of all in 
measuring out endless joy abundantly to the satisfaction of 
all. We will continually be partakers of the ecstacy of the 
gracious and glorious reunion. Wie shall be face to face 
with the bridegroom and we will be satisfied then. But glor- 
ious as it all is, there are many today who are indifferent 
to it all. While the bride has a foretaste of the peace and 
joy of the feast to come, she is still urging others to come. 
The bride is saying come today. The bridegroom has his 
written invitation out in the New Testament. Read this in- 
vitation and to whom it is extended for it may interest you 
and lead your thoughts to center more on these things than 
ever before, and conclude by accepting, and go with us. 
You may become altogether persuaded and accept the com- 
pany of those who shall meet in the Father's house. 



104 The Bride in the Wilderness. 

The Spirit is calling also and working among men, mak- 
ing no personal distinction. Our humble position does not 
bar us. Our lot in this world may not be very desirable, 
our position unassuming. No one may envy our inheritance, 
but we can feel assured that to the most humble and un- 
worthy there comes a call at one time or another in life as 
an invitation to be a guest at the marriage. How important, 
then, it is to heed the call ; for it may not come again. Tarry 
not, dear friend, for fear He will never repeat the call. Come, 
lay hold of salvation ; accept the new life by faith, and be 
assured of lasting peace and joy. 

We have now learned who it is that comes from the dark, 
dreary wilderness leaning on her Beloved's strong arm, and 
why she clings so closely to Him at all times. Our Beloved 
saw she could enjoy home life with Him forever ; hence He 
went to seek her in the wilderness and lead her home. But 
it is a distance from the desert of sin to the promised land ; 
so there is a journey to undertake. All the way our Be- 
loved is by our side and carries with Him all provision 
needed for nourishment, protection, and defense. The 
church enjoys the contrasting conditions and finds His com- 
panionship the delight of her life. While going through the 
desert of sin, her enemies make sport of her, sneer at her 
choice, say she will soon get tired of Him, and even try to 
have her be untrue to Him and desert Him for one more 
sightly in this world. But all fails, for she is true to her 
Beloved who has proved His love to her and given His 
friendship like none other. She shows to the world that 
she wants her love to run naturally, that is^ undisturbed to 
the right person, where love meets love in full and there is 
no deception. 

A person may be alone and never have heard a note of 
music. He may be downhearted and bewildered as to any 
relief; but let a skilled violinist come and use his skill on 



The Bride in the Wilderness. 105 

the instrument, and he can arouse a new emotion in the 
despondent one's heart that he has never experienced before. 
The player knows what he can do for the lowly person, who 
knows nothing thereof until ne feels the effect of music in 
his heart, borne there through his ears. Just so with our 
Beloved; He knew what His gentle voice could awaken in 
the bosom of the lost one in the wilderness and what emo- 
tions of love could be aroused by the light of His calm 
countenance. There is no such satisfaction radiating from 
the faces of those who ridicule her and speak words of 
blame and discouragement to her. The church knows the 
difference as it effects the heart within, of which the perse- 
cutors and oppressors of religion of Jesus Christ know noth- 
ing 

It is a mystery to them but a fact; they have not yet 
been able to remove nor deny even to their own satisfaction, 
letting them do the accounting. The true church of Christ 
lives a life of rich, ripe experience that makes Him dearer 
for every day. He proves to the church what He really is 
in the trying hours. He reminds us continually of what is 
for our best, and keeps us away from all things evil in order 
that we shall become fully fitted for the home above where 
the true relation of Christ and the church will be realized. 

When we think of all that He has done for us and how 
anxious He is that we shall be like Him and with Him 
finally, we ought to seize all opportunities of co-operation 
with Him. He was in this sinful and evil world among us 
but did not individually partake in the sin and evil. Now 
He wants us to follow His example and He will help us to 
live here and not partake or sanction any of the sins that 
bring disgrace on Christ and His church, to the ruin of the 
sinner himself. We find that the church in the past, under 
more adverse circumstances, showed a very firm and de- 
cided stand for Him, and is a living reality of a true virgin 



106 The Bride in the Wilderness. 

whom nothing could persuade to be disloyal. Now we have 
more favorable surroundings ; no more persecution ; and 
what there is may be considered in so mild a form that we 
should be able to bear it with grace. Yet there is fear that 
the church does not show the rosy, healthy color nor the 
robust action that she did in the past. 

Let us be out and at work in God's spiritual universe, 
and exercise therein and inhale His pure, wholesome atmos- 
phere. By these means and in this way, we will arouse the 
true Christian life-blood in our hearts, and its ruddy color 
will be radiant in our faces, and our hearts will beat with 
fervent love for God and men, while we lean on our Beloved 
on the journey through the wilderness, on the way to the 
eternal mansion where the marriage will take place. 

The church leans on her Beloved in critical times and 
momentous occasions, in the interest of herself and the peo- 
ple concerned, which is so beautifully illustrated by Queen 
Esther. Her people were under condemnation as well as 
herself, being a Jew. In order to save them therefrom, she 
went in to the king in the inner court contrary to his supreme 
decree, on the hope of mercy. She had the golden scepter 
extended to her by the king's hand. Her daring venture 
saved herself and people in whom she was interested. We, 
the church of Christ, can, with our petitions, enter into the 
inner court of grace where our beloved King is; not con- 
trary to His decree, for we are invited and urged to go in 
our own interest and those in whom we are most concerned, 
to find pardon, life, and heaven ; the golden scepter of Chris- 
tian privileges and opportunities will be extended to us and 
our near and dear friends. 

We are assured of a welcome to our King while Esther 
took so great a risk against the king's command. 



The Bride in the IVilderness. 107 

We have a solid foundation on which to stand and build. 
We have faithful promises on which to rely, and a kind in- 
vitation to come and lean on our Beloved for help until the 
journey is ended, and we are safely at home. 



But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, 
was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly 
behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which 
glory Avas to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the 
spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation 
be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed 
in glory.— 2 Cor. 3:7-9. 

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. — Heb. 

7:22. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE TWO TESTAMENTS. 



Luke 22 : 20. This cup is the new testament in my 
blood, which is shed for you. 

Jesus Christ, our Savior, had spent a Hfe of over thirty 
years on earth among men, when these words were spoken 
to His disciples. He was born in a poor family; of no high 
repute from a human point of view. He was ushered into 
His ministry in a mysterious way and then and there was 
acknowledged by God Himself as His beloved Son in audi- 
ble voice and by a token; the Spirit descended on Him in 
the shape oi a dove, by the banks of Jordan, after He had 
been baptized by John. The voice was not all concerning 
Him. It was for us ; indeed, the most important part was 
for us : "Hear Him." These words have a great meaning 
to us for they call us to give attention to what He would 
say, and to conform our lives to His teachings. 

He lived among the common people in the same world 
as we do, and met and dealt with the same temptations. It, 
therefore, is of great importance that He should be heard 
and heeded. Let us watch His footsteps and follow the in- 
spiration that radiates from His everday life. Let us listen 



llO The Two Testaments. 

when He speaks to the children and says of such is the 
kingdom of heaven, and they are looked after and cared 
for as lambs by the shepherd. 

He spoke to the blind and they received their sight, and 
go and proclaim the good news abroad, rejoicing although 
they were not able to explain the miracle nor knew by what 
power it was done. One thing was certain with them and 
that was that they could see and that they had been blind. 

He spoke to the sick, and those in any way infirm and by 
whatsoever disease afflicted, were immediately cured, and 
they went about their daily work glorifying God for what 
He had done for them. 

He spoke to the dead, and they, in obedience to His 
voice, came back to life. 

He spoke to the sinners the forgiveness of their sins, and 
they were free from their burden and went in peace, testi- 
fying of salvation by faith in Christ. All these became liv- 
ing witnesses of His power over the elements and sin. He 
spoke to the tempter and he could not induce Him to swerve 
from the true, fervent path of duty to God and men. He 
said : ''It is written," and referred the tempter to the Bible. 
This seems to be the proper fortification that can stand all 
the wily efforts of the tempter. When the word of God 
rightly quoted, interpreted, and applied, was hurled at him, 
he left Jeisus for a season. This again emphasizes the im- 
portance of the voice who said : ''Hear Him." 

We must read the word of God so that we may become 
acquainted therewith, if we would be able to make the same 
proper use of it. If we should meet the tempter and he 
should ofifer us inducements as he did the Savior, to deviate 
from the right way and enter on his wide road of false 
pleasure and then could not recall a sentence or word from 
God's promises and teachings, we would have poor chance 
of defence. But on the other hand, at such moments, if an 



The Two Testaments. Ill 

appropriate verse from God's word could be repeated, the 
tempter would flee from us as he did from Jesus Christ. 
The words that Jesus spoke are the words with which we 
fight our battles against all powers of evil and rules foreign 
to the government of God among men on earth. He spoke 
as one having full power dwelling within to sub ' ■'tiate all 
that He said, whether it was pertaining to man's body, soul, 
or spirit. He did not only speak ; He also performed things 
right before the multitude that proved to them that He was 
more than human. Their own eyes, ears, and intelligence 
testified to them very forcibly, and what could they do but 
simply acknowledge it and say it is according to what He 
speaks. 

These things appear tO' them as mysteries, and so they 
were in a measure and will be in the eyes of the world for 
all time to come. B'ut mysterious as they were, the facts 
are in no way diminished. These things were an everyday 
occurrence with Him while on earth — to do good to the 
needy, speak words of comfort to the sorrowing, do deeds 
of kindness to the undeserving, and sympathize with the out- 
casts of society, to feed the hungry by the thousands, and 
to preach' the gospel to the poor in spirit. 

There was not a void in life that He could not fill to the 
overflowing of His treasure of wholesome provision. He 
has by this method endeared Himself to a considerable num- 
ber of people, especially His disciples who were chosen to 
be His immediate witnesses. They were in His training con- 
tinually and received their instructions direct from Him. 
They had His exemplary life as a pattern before them. He 
impressed on their hearts that He was Messiah and was to 
fulfill all the Scripture. 

The disciples, as well as the other people, had the idea 
that when Messiah should come, He would set up an earthly 
kingdom, while He came to establish a spiritual one. This 



112 The Two Testaments. 

kind of kingdom they could not at this time comprehend; 
but He still continued His teaching. It was now passover 
and He with His disciples prepared to take part in the 
memorial. It was in the midst of this feast that the Savior 
spoke these words : ^'This is the new testament in my 
blood." They had finished eating the supper, when Jesus 
took the bread, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, "For 
it is," He said, "My body, broken for you;" and He took 
the cup also and gave thanks, and said : "This is the new 
testament in my blood poured out as a remission from sin." 

Jesus spoke these words. Let us read them and think of 
them with all due reverence. He was now to leave the dis- 
ciples, but He did not want that they should forget Him ; so 
He instituted this memorial feast, saying: "As often as ye 
do this, ye do it in memory of me." They were to observe 
this feast during His absence, until He should return to 
receive them unto Himself. He was to leave them through 
death. His own blood was to be shed for our sins. He says 
this is the new testament — *'in my blood." This indicates 
that there is another older testament in existence or has 
been written. This old testament, so called by reason of its 
being written first, consists of the law, prophets, and the 
psalms. These books set forth God's covenant with men 
under different periods in the past by certain persons di- 
rectly called for that special purpose. 

Many covenants have been made between God and men 
and they have been kept to the letter. God made a strong, 
important covenant with Noah, and the rainbow of today 
is evidence of its firm tie even with us. He entered into 
one with Abraham and his children,' and they are among us 
today as distinct a people as ever, although they have neither 
ruler nor country of their own. 

The fullest text of the testament was written down in 
the days of Moses when he was the mediator and law gfiver 



The Tivo Testaments. 113 

between God and Israel. Here we have the author and au- 
thority of the testament. The full service was to take place 
in the tabernacle where God would meet His people and 
they would there carry out all the ceremonies on their part 
of the testament, which was pertaining to all the sacrifices, 
washings, and cleansings of vessels. In the tabernacle were 
the candlestick, the table with showbread on it, and the ark 
of the covenant, with the law therein. All was to be done 
and observed properly and timely. The degree of blessing 
depended so much on the faithful fulfillment of all the relig- 
ious ceremonies in their service to God by the people. They 
were a peculiar people and God revealed His will to them 
in a special manner. He would meet them in the tabernacle 
and there give them instruction, more special and direct, 
through the high priest, concerning their path to pursue and 
their conduct while on their journey to the promised land. 

The covenant in their testament was that they should 
inherit and possess the land. The old testament was made 
of effect by sprinkling of water and shedding of blood. The 
priest sprinkled all the congregation and took the lamb set 
apart for that special purpose and slaughtered it as a sacri- 
fice for his own and the people's sins and with blood entered 
into the holy of holies once a year. 

This w^as a very specific testament to the children of 
Israel. It provided them with a described country of their 
own, with undisputed possession, and equitable laws to gov- 
ern them therein, and provisions for their government, and 
officers, and ruler. In fact, they were to inherit all the 
actual effects, personal and real, promised by God to Abra- 
ham that his children should possess. So Israel was heir to 
all that is meant by being children of Abraham, according 
to the testament. 

By this covenant, God established and transferred the 
estate to the children of Israel and in the wilderness they 



114 The Two Testaments. 

were on the way to take possession thereof, according to 
the testament. All this was reduced to writing, in their own 
possession, and dedicated with blood. Death and shedding 
of blood must ensue, and is necessary before a testament 
becomes of effect. All that this testament implies in one 
sense is figurative and typical language, representing some- 
thing real to come; and, like an index, points down to the 
time when that for which the typical stands shall take its 
place. 

A perfect God and man in the same body was born of 
Mary in Bethlehem. He was the person in whom all figure 
and types centered and to whom all ceremonies pointed for 
^actual fulfillment. A new codicil to the testament was to 
be satisfied with greater significance and meaning to all. 
This covenant is of a higher aim, and bequeathes a greater 
inheritance, and is added to the old one. The old is not 
done away with only so far as the typical and figurative is 
concerned, for they were shadows and vanish when the real 
comes and takes their place ; and now a deeper significance 
exists in both the shadows and the real ; for they both unite 
their testimony of the same thing. Like two wills in exist- 
ence, the later does away with the former, only in the new 
codicils added, otherwise the will in the first is not changed, 
even if rewritten. So in this case; there are many things 
mentioned in the old testament as vital and binding as ever. 
The new testament expresses God's will of inheritance to 
all mankind, while the old was more especially for the chil- 
dren of Israel. 

The old was dedicated by blood of animals while the new 
was confirmed by the blood of Jesus Christ. He came to be 
the high priest and the sacrificial' lamb as well. He entered 
with His own blood into the holy of holies. The lamb of 
old was slain by the high priest. Our high priest gave Him- 
self unto death, but sinful hands slew Him. 



The Two Testaments. 115 

The time had now come and Jesus knew it. He was to 
leave His disciples, but He wanted to be remembered by 
them. He therefore instituted the Lord's supper in memory 
of Himself. This new testament in His blood recites that 
He is our elder brother and that He is the heir of the 
heavenly Father, as eternally appointed, to whose presence 
He soon should go. Before He departs, He leaves to us 
this testament which provides that we have full heirship 
with Himself to all the glory, peace, and pleasure that can 
be enjoyed in the Father's house, with the elder brother in 
the midst of us. Each one is provided with a home in the 
eternal mansion, a place at the table, and suitable apparel 
for the great event. This testament, like all others, is not 
of effect until the elder brother dies. So he must die in or- 
der that we can become heirs to this glorious heritage. 

Our dear elder brother died on the cross, that ignomin- 
ious, agonizing, shameful, and torturous death in our stead, 
that we might live, and inherit according to that rich, hope- 
ful testament. 

It was sin in us that caused this awful death of our 
brother ; so we see how sinful sin is and what it leads to. It 
drags us down from bad to worse, until there finally is no 
hope, and ends with its unavoidable wages. He died on the 
cross and was buried in the grave of a righteous man. 

The testament now is in full force. His death made it 
so to us. We are now heirs with Him according to all pro- 
visions made with eternal life itself as the greatest bequest ; 
it so reads in the testament. All bequests are conveyed to 
us as full heirs with Himself in the Father's estate. But the 
beauty of it all is that He rose from the dead, thereby show- 
ing us that he had power over death and that this power 
was inherent in Him. He could not only raise the dead to 
life but could raise Himself also. He is the resurrection and 
the life, and has abundantly proved that to us. 



116 The Two Testaments. 

His body did not even undergo any corruption, for the 
life of life preserved it while He rested in the grave until 
the resurrection morn. He stayed on earth many days after 
the resurrection and showed Himself to the believers. His 
body was changed so He could become visible or invis- 
ible to the human eye at His own will. He was recognized 
by all disciples, including doubting Thomas. He was also 
seen by the women and by five hundred brethren at one 
time. 

So He established beyond doubt that He was the same 
brother that was with them before His death. He told them 
that He should ascend to the Father but should send the 
Spirit, who would be their comforter and constant com- 
panion, such a one as they needed. He would go to the 
Father and be our advocate there and see that the testa- 
ment which was now legalized should be admitted to pro- 
bate before the court of eternal justice. 

He would plead our cause by the merit of His own death, 
and our justification by the efficacy of His blood, by the 
power of resurrection and nsion into the holy of holies. 
He is now there, but we have the written testament with us. 
We hold the written document in our possession. Let us 
i .d it and learn all about that to which we have fallen heirs, 
and how sure it is. We can not reasonably entertain any 
doubts about what is written in the testament. When we 
read that He did not falter or swerve in the least from the 
torture that He went through, in order to justly make us 
heirs, we can not doubt that He will give us the good things 
He promised, since He has gone through it all. He wants 
that we shall avail ourselves of the free opportunities that 
are offered. He wants > to make sure of salvation, and to 
strive to enter into the fullness of our inheritance. Let us 
read of what is awaiting us. One of the disciples that was 
dear to Him, who knew Him best, and lay close to his bosom 



The Two Testaments. 117 

at the memorial feast, who also knew Him after His resur- 
rection, never entertained any doubts about the inheritance 
according to the testament. This John was in the spirit on 
an island and there saw many wonderful things which 
should come to pass, and had explanation from our Brother 
concerning them. These are part of the testament and it 
closes with that beautiful description of the new heaven and 
the new earth, the river of crystal water, and the tree of 
life, which, together with all things that are lovely and can 
be enjoyed by immortality, is an inheritance according to the 
testament. 

We should study our testament more and thereby become 
more interested in our estate. We can find no trace of that 
John,- the one who saw and wrote about these things at the 
direct command and dictation of the testator, that he lost 
any interest in it after seeing and hearing what he did. He 
was the beloved disciple, and his life was always on the in- 
crease in devotion, faithfulness, and service. His great ex- 
perience in the Christian life and severe persecution made 
him draw nearer to the Savior. His close relation opened 
up yet greater opportunities for him. 

No one has seen and received more instructions and ex- 
planations of the future than he ; no one has written a bet- 
ter description of our future home nor held out a more hope- 
ful offer for the Christians than he has. We can not but 
wonder at his writing. But let us not forget that it is the 
most binding and important part of the testament. It was 
the Lamb that was slain and is alive forevermore that was 
talking with John. So there is authority to sustain the 
statements. 

This was many years after the ascension ; but notice how 
interested he is in the churches on earth. He speaks of 
their angels, stars, and candlesticks. They are provided 
with protection, and light to shine in the community. He 



118 The Two Testaments. 

writes by the hand of John and encourages a true devotion 
of Christian love and fellowship, to be warm and earnest 
under all circumstances. He cautions against the tendency 
to lukewarmness and its awful results, for us to beware and 
be watchful. It is a dear brother's counsel, in all things 
pertaining to our welfare and words of comfort. It is also 
worthy of note that the sinful and deceitful are not over- 
looked, but we are warned beforehand so we can be on the 
lookout. 

It certainly would be of great value to us if we were 
more familiar with this part of the testament, for it tells of 
so many interesting things in a beautiful way. It tells how 
things were to come to pass and in what succession. We 
can see where we are in the stream of time, if we watch the 
compass and dial described in this book. This would have 
a tendency to wake us up in the watchtower and kindle the 
lights so that the seafaring passers-by could also see the 
signs and get ready. 

This testament has seven seals on it, so it is acknowl- 
edged before the Chief of Justice with His seal thereon. 
No one could open the seals of the book but one that was 
Judah's lion; and He opened it by His blood, and, through 
the Spirit, caused it to be openly read to all people, tongues, 
and nations. He also rent the veil; so now there is an 
entrance into the holy of holies beyond the veil. 

Our Brother is very interested that we should know how 
beautiful a place is waiting for us and what great privileges 
we are to enjoy there. He uses the choicest metals known 
in describing the material of which the mansion is made, and 
the most precious stones, crystals, and fine glass as founda- 
tions and durable ornamental substance of our house, and 
the :pleasant surroundings. He speaks of the river of living 
water and the tree of life on both sides of the stream, bear- 



The Tzvo Testaments. 119 

ing twelve kinds of fruits each month in the year, and of 
the heavenly wholesomeness and delicacies for our use. 

Into this indescribably beautiful home of ours, nothing 
sinful will be allowed to enter ; so states our testament ex- 
pressly. No sorrow will be there. The last tear will be 
wiped away by our dear Brother before we enter there. No 
sickness will be known, for all is life eternal with nothing 
to mar. We indeed have it well provided for us when we 
get to our home, so tasteful' to our fancy. All assurance is 
held out for us to rely on all that is promised us. We in- 
deed have all reason to lay aside all doubt and unbelief and 
negligence, and become earnest in laying up treasure where 
nothing will corrupt nor nothing enter to despoil what is 
so rich and beautiful. This is the testament in My blood, 
says our Brother. His blood was shed in love for us all. 
The throne of mercy is overshadowed by His blood where 
we may in humility bow down just as we are and obtain 
pardon for our guilt. Let us set the true value of the great 
effort on the Savior's part to make it plain and sure to us. 
We can not fully appreciate that He is our advocate before 
the Father. He stands before the throne of justice, sur- 
rounded with the mercy seat on which the sinners are seated 
while our advocate before the Father pleads our pardon by 
reason of His own blood being poured out to wash away 
our sins and to blot out our transgressions — for His sake. 
He really takes our place as debtor and pays our indebted- 
ness so there is nothing against us. We, on the other hand, 
take His place as having no debt against us for the burden 
thereof, and its anxiety we are free from. In this way we 
are justified before the Father; He can not again demand 
what has once been paid. But we must beHeve this or we 
can not feel the freedom from the burden nor enjoy the 
peace, and tranquility of mind that comes from forgiveness. 
He redeemed us to nothing less than His equal heirs to 



120 The Two Testaments. 

eternal glory in the Father's presence. He is our advocate, 
and is best fitted to plead. He is acquainted with the 
heavenly law§ of love, mercy, and justice. He knows the 
heavenly language and phraseology, and can express Him- 
self most effectively in our behalf. We have it well ar- 
ranged. Our inheritance is a goodly one and our estate is 
pleasantly located. Let a true interest therein be stirred up 
within us. We have the testament. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE VICTORIOUS REST AND SLEEP. 

• II Chron. 32 : 8. With him is an arm of flesh ; but with 
us is the Lord, our God, to help us and' to fight our battles. 
And the people rested themselves upon the words of Heze- 
kiah, King of Judah. 

Rest consists not of total idleness, nor of entire inactiv- 
ity. Life manifests itself even in sleep. The body, mind, 
and heart require rest of their ov/n peculiar kind. The body 
can not continually exert itself in muscular energy. The 
mind will not constantly devote itself to the solution of 
difficult problems. The functions of the heart are not, at 
all times, equally perceptible. Each seeks a certain relax- 
ation for regaining new power in a state of rest of its own 
kind. 

Man was created with a need of rest, and therefore, he 
has a natural craving without that nothing else can satisfy. 
In various ways, we seek rest. Visionary beds of ease ap- 
peal to our imagination. False and delusive invitations are 
extended to us^ but these give no rest nor satisfaction. Be- 
cause there is a need of rest, there is a proper means pro- 
vided by Him who said : "Come unto me^ all ye that labor 

121 



123 The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 

and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." In Christ 
Jesus, there is rest for those who labor, and also for those 
who are heavy laden at heart. There is rest for all, no mat- 
ter what weariness or troubles disturb us. Let us seek this 
solace and fully appreciate it, for it is our blessed privilege. 
In Christ, there is a peaceful tranquility for the heart, a 
victorious ease for the mind, and a calm, refreshing rest for 
the body. All obedience to God's laws is wholesome, be it 
of body, mind, or heart. 

The Son of God, who mused in joy by his Father's side 
during the days of creation, by whom and unto whom all 
things were made, rested after His work and has provided 
the most complete rest in Himself. He knows how to sup- 
ply his creatures with what they need. He has endowed 
them with keen abilities to search out this rest in the Crea- 
tor, which can be found nowhere else. This is the inborn 
tendency to learn and find out God. This inherent faculty 
is led astray by the voice of the old serpent when he takes 
man to all his idols and asks him to fall down and worship 
them ; in this there is found no satisfaction to the soul. This 
same tempter shows man the beauty and wonderful mechan- 
ism of the universe and tries to make him believe that it 
has all come by chance, but there is no real satisfaction to 
man's intelligent mind in this ; for man will not let his wan- 
dering, active mind rest on nothing. It was not constructed 
that way and refuses to submit to reasoning and conclusion 
built thereon. 

This same deceiver will lead man among the empires and 
kingdoms of this world and claim that he presides over 
them all and appoints the destiny by his foresight, intellect, 
and power. This deluder will present the forms in religion as 
the only needed essential, but in these, there is no real relief 
to the heavyladen heart. He tries to teach science without 
God. nliilology without the Word, and psychology without 



The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 123 

the Spirit; but man has not yet become entirely persuaded 
that way and never will^ for God created man and his func- 
tions, which will be at work searching for rest until they 
find it in Christ Jesus. 

Alan may wander in error for a time, but will not 
continually do so. Alan has abilities and he uses them 
in spite of error, deceit, and falsehood. Alan will 
search and work, that he may rest and find the 
place best adapted for ease of body, mind, and heart. As 
long, therefore, as man exerts himself, there is hope. He 
that works shall rest. Alan's own experience will teach him 
the falsity of the ease he seeks and awaken a more intense 
desire for the true and best rest in Jesus. He tells us to 
come unto Him and we shall find rest to our souls. This 
is the only standing invitation that offers rest to the soul 
and we show our wisdom by heeding the call and go to Him 
just as we are with all our sins and troubles and we shall 
find relief. 

When our individual sins become a heavy burden upon 
our hearts, and we can find peace nowhere, we can go to 
Jesus with it all and be relieved and find peace at heart. 
He removes what disturbs, annoys, and causes anxiety. He 
fills the heart with life, joy, and love. We become new 
creatures in Christ Jesus and all things appear to us in a 
new light. We see the kingdom that is not of this world 
and long for, citizenship therein. We seek not the pleasure 
and friendship of this world alone, but live to please our 
Master for His many blessings upon us. Rest is one of the 
main blessings and is earned by the contest that results in 
victory and concludes in peace. 

In the kingdoms of this world, there are strife, tumult, 
and opposition ; in God's kingdom, there is peace and har- 
mony. In the many churches of this world, there are self- 
ishness, indifference and carelessness; in His church, there 



124 The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 

is unity, triumph, and generosity. In the world, there are 
wavering belief, variety of baptism, and many false Gods; 
in Christ is one faith, one baptism and one God, the Father 
of us all. From the tumultuous commotions in the world 
at large, from the mythical inconsistent field of science, and 
from the instigations of war, be it for acquisition, liberty, 
or against Christianity, we are called to come to Christ for 
true rest. All difficult problems in life can better be solved 
in the light of God's word, which leads no one astray, and 
usually rests the case in full evidence. 

The Assyrian king, in the days of Hezekiah, besieged 
the strong cities in- Juda and boastfully used all his art in 
persuasive language to have Hezekiah submit to his terms. 
It was a royal display of worldly power with an army that 
many times outnumbered Juda's. This power had a con- 
quering history to boast of. All diplomatic skill was used to 
magnify the Assyrian possibility and belittle Juda's chance 
to resist. But in all this splendid display of power and 
firmness of successful victory, Hezekiah saw only an arm 
of flesh. He looked to the true God for help to fight the 
battle. Hezekiah fully trusted in God's promises and ordi- 
nances and did on his part all to express full faith therein. 
The people were with him, for they rested on his words that 
had the component elements based on the eternal Rock, and 
relied on His invincible mighty arm for success. The vic- 
tory came to Juda to the utter dismay and shame of Assyria 
and the death of their king. Thus mightily, the Lord God 
of hosts moves and causes wonders to be performed in the 
midst of mankind, victories over the wisdom and shrewd- 
ness of this world. 

The rest in Christ and His word is not essential in this 
world and in this life only, but is equally needed, or even 
more so, at the end thereof. It gives the only assurance in 
death to the heart's great satisfaction. This has been mani- 



The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 125 

fested times without number. Stephen's death is one of 
the most assuring instances of this kind ; he rested in 
Christ's word and fell asleep. He was in the midst of this 
world's evil rage against him and yet he was calm. He 
saw the men ready to stone him to death, but he also saw 
the heaven open, and the Son of Man standing on the right 
hand of God. This glorious sight took away all fear of the 
angry multitude, the stones, and even death. He displayed 
the calmest and most peaceful and forgiving spirit ; for "he 
cried with loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, 
and when he had said this, he fell asleep." Asleep in Jesus. 
The world can not produce a scene more indicative of un- 
disturbed peace, rest, and sleep, based on God's words as 
revealed unto us. Can unbelief produce a reality anywhere 
like this one described? Certainly not. Can indifference 
point to his careless pillow as a superior resting place? Not 
so. Can the doubting scientist offer a nobler tranquility to 
the body, mind, and heart under such circumstances? We 
think not. Where shall we turn for rest, but to Him in 
whom complete rest is found? 

Rest is earned by labor. Those who idle their time of 
w^ork away very often idle their time of rest away also, and 
so miss the joy of both. They so live that they enjoy neither 
to the full extent and become indifferent and inactive, which 
leads to the awful result — ■ neglect — the greatest evil in 
the world. The instruction is to work while it is day, so 
shall we rest sweetly, when the proper time comes. All 
exertion of body, mind, and heart seeks the ease of victory 
and longs to enjoy refreshment therein. The law of truth 
reveals the tranquil exhilaration to the body, mind, and soul 
of man, wherein he may move and rest with greatest ease. 
This is not always as it appears from the human side in 
life ; as in the case of Stephen. The same calmness that 
inspired Stephen is held out to us all as a free gift of God' 



126 The Victorious Rest and Sleep, 

through His son, Jesus Christ, and will be needed by us as 
certainly in some unavoidable moment. We shall be called 
to face the last enemy, death, some time, and that courage 
and composure then will be the thing that God's words give 
to the needy one, who is to cross the dark, swelling river. 
There is no other peace and rest than that which comes 
from the feeling in the heart that we are reconciled with 
God through the blood of Jesus Christ and have our sins 
forgiven. Tn that way, death becomes the gateway into the 
eternal life of peace and bliss. He also gives us resignation, 
so we can leave high positions, places of honor in this world, 
and respond to the call cheerfully. We can leave home, 
kindred, and dear friends and willingly go to Him. We go 
but a little while before them; they will soon follow; then 
there will be that blessed, endless reunion never to be 
marred by parting nor by the thought thereof. 

Let us make sure of heaven. Let us work the work of 
God now in rescuing the lost that we may better enjoy our 
rest when we shall finally reach it in glory. From this, we 
see that there are commotions and unrest in this world. 
There is apparent controversy in learning and in the proper 
understanding of facts as revealed to us in the universe, but 
the discrepancies as they appear are in the human mind and 
in its incomplete comprehension of creation and its laws, 
rather than with the Creator. The human mind has not yet 
found a place of rest aside from the revelation through God's 
chosen agents. Therefore, the wandering prodigal son of 
learning in the land of no God will eventually be reduced 
to want and begin to look in the direction of the Father's 
house for bread to sustain his body, mind, and soul. He 
will not be disappointed, for he shall find a feast of knowl- 
edge. Political ambition will, like the king, find the great 
assurance and help to success in the Word of the King of 
Kings. The tempted heart will find a nest, like the chased 



The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 127 

dove, in the Rock that is cleft for ns all. Adversity can 
not drive us from the sure footing on the eternal Rock and 
its faithful promises connected therewith. The people 
rested in the King's words, dictated by Jehovah. Let us 
do likewise, but lei; us continually remember that activity is 
the best incentive to good rest. Let us be active in the work 
that leads to and gives the proper rest. ^lake every day a 
Sabbath in the Lord, but when duty calls, let there be no 
day of rest. 

There is rest even when we do our duty. Our conscience 
rests well when our duties are faithfully done. An easy, 
peaceful conscience gives true rest to the body, mind, and 
heart. A guilty conscience gives no rest, but continual 
worry and remorse. Satan fills the heart of man with de- 
sires to do things that will cause a guilty conscience, from 
which he can not be separated of his own accord. Envy 
lodged in Cain's heart against his brother, which developed 
into hatred and matured into murder. He tried to remove 
the evil in his heart, or to satisfy it, by getting rid of his 
brother ; but found the deed caused a guilty conscience from 
which he could not escape. It made him a fugitive and vag- 
abond in the earth ali his life. 

A guilty conscience is not a desirable companion through 
life and gives no rest nor peace to the body, mind, and soul. 
This is man's experience in history and biography. Jehoia- 
kim became wroth with God's revelation to man, the Bible, 
and tried to appease his anger by cutting the book to pieces 
and throwing it into the fire ; but he did not destroy the word 
of God, nor did he gain a clear conscience ; neither did he 
escape the inevitable punishment for transgressing God's 
law in his book. 

The love of money in Judas' heart caused him to obtain 
his price for his low deed, but did not give the expected sat- 
isfaction, nor did the refunding of the money to the chief 



128 The Victorious Rest and Sleep. 

priests do so. His guilty conscience carried him to the 
greatest extreme, self-destruction. He found no rest nor 
peace in his choice and deed^ though he got the expected 
price. Satan is the guilty one and he wants to make man 
guilty also. There is, therefore, no rest nor relief in con- 
tinued wrong-doing. We must look for it elsewhere. Jesus 
Christ is the innocent one and wants to make us innocent, 
also, before God. He can do that and He invites those who 
labor and are heavy laden to come to Him and rest. Hear 
His words to the transgressors of the worst sort : 

*^0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets 
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would 
I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gath- 
ereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. 

''Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for 
yourselves and for your children. Verily, I say unto you, 
there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall 
not be thrown down. For then shall be great tribulation, 
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this 
time, no, nor ever shall be." 

This describes Christ's attitude toward the Jews and the 
condition of the fulfillment of their saying at the judgment 
hall when Pilate declared Jesus innocent : ''His blood be 
upon us and our children." The Jews wanted to get Jesus 
out of the way and they succeeded in doing so, but they have 
been in an unsettled, disturbed condition ever since. They 
will not find any rest nor enjoy peace until they acknowledge 
Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah; for we must all come 
to Him and find rest. 

All the saints are in God's hand, a place of powerful pro- 
tection and security that has a satisfaction complete in itself 
and found nowhere else. This hand of God is in strong con- 
trast to man's arm of flesh. God shows His mighty hand in 
creation and the universe hangs and moves by its power. 



The Victorious Rest and Sleep, 129 

Man's hand is one of the main distinctions that sets him 
apart from all other creatures and places him nearest to 
God. The hand of man is an image of God's hand, though 
weakened by sin in the fall. The hand of man, guided by 
intellect and inspired by love, will prove itself a marvel in 
the world. It will take the uncouth material and create it 
into articles of the finest finish for the use of mankind. The 
home is a product of the hand and remains secure by its de- 
pending power. Those who dwell in the home are provided 
for by the hand and aided by its untiring effort. The hand 
produces the sweetest music to the ear, greets our friends 
in the most tender love, and waves the fondest farewell. The 
hand is a most wonderful limb that raises us far above all 
other animals and reveals to us our close relation to God. 
All the assuring promises and hopeful invitations in the 
Bible, together with all the warnings and prophetic enlight- 
enment, have- been written by the hands of holy men. There 
is, therefore, a joining of hands by God and man, thereby 
connecting the inspiring current of useful activity for eter- 
nal welfare. There is rest to the weary wanderer in the 
clasp of a stronger hand, which leads us on in the steep and 
troublesome path. There is companionship in a mighty 
arm to lean upon, through the lonely, tiresome places in the 
journey of life. When it is ended, this gentle hand will 
gather up the beautiful lives of men in His mighty arms and 
carry them over the river into Paradise. It is worth while 
to rest in God's words in preference to an arm of flesh, and 
heed the gracious and kind invitation : "Come unto me all 
ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." 



The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good under- 
standing have all they that do his commandments: his praise en- 
dureth for ever. — Psa. 111:10. 

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firma- 
ment; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever 
and ever. — Dan. 12:3. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE WISE CONCLUSION. 



Ecclesiastes 12 : 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the 
whole matter : Fear God and keep his commandments, for 
this is the whole duty of man. 

It is an important person who is speaking these words ; 
therefore it is to our interest to listen. He has a great sub- 
ject on which he is discoursing. He is discussing the whole 
matter and is drawing the conclusion, of it all, after a care- 
ful review. The speaker or writer is no less a man than 
King Solomon, who is known to be a very wise man with 
deep, varied experience in all things generally; for he was 
given to try all things that he could desire. He was anxious 
to find out all he could about whatever, came into his 
^thoughts or to which he took a fancy. It seems that every- 
thing was coming his way in this respect; for means and 
opportunities were added so he could indulge in all luxuries, 
pleasure, and display without limitation, seemingly. He was 
highly lauded as a ruler, and was supported by a large, loyal 
army who were obedient to his will. Riches were lavished 
on him;-so no one of his time was his equal. He lived in a 
palace and had a host of servants to do the work for him. 

131 



182 The Wise Conclusion. 

He was a great builder as well as ruler for he built the 
grand temple where Israel should worship God and carry 
out the religious ceremonies dictated to them by God him- 
self, for they were His peculiar people. 

Solomon had a powerful mind with which he did a great 
deal of planning, and successfully made them materialize 
into actual facts. This is not confined to any one line, but in 
all vocations in life he had dealings. His experience was 
real, not imaginary. This gives value to his words when he 
speaks, and we can feel assured it is worth while to give 
consideration to what he expresses, especially so when he 
has reviewed the whole matter and is summing up the total. 
Usually the closing words are the most important and have 
the essence of the previous discussion concentrated in a 
smaller quantity, easier to remember. At this instance, he 
says : "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter." We 
may not all have the privilege of so great display and pleas- 
ure. We may not all be endowed with so great wisdom and 
power. But we can all be benefitted by listening to Solo- 
mon's e.vperience as he tells it and in a measure follow him 
to his conclusion. '^ 

No man can live a life like Solomon with such varied 
participation in all things and with all classes of people, 
without adding a rich value to every word he utters in pub- 
lic regarding his observation. Solomon was reared and 
trained in the King's house ; for his father was the noted 
King David, whose powerful, conquering reign was now cen- 
tered in his son, Solomon. David was a war king and 
brought all adjoining kingdoms in subjection unto him; so 
when Solomon ascended the throne, he reigned from a 
throne of peace and had time to devote himself to the build- 
ing of the temple, to better organize the government, . and 
to institute more fully the religious worship. He saw the 
propriety of having the center of government and the center 



The Wise Conclusion. 133 

of religion in the same place and under the same direction. 
It made the kingdom doubly strong and unified; for a per- 
son will make great effort in defence of religion as well as 
of government. Solomon saw all this and to his wisdom 
was added his ripe, successful experience. 

It was toward the close of his life that he spoke these 
words. He had tried the home life. He had lived the fam- 
ily life. He had lived a life of great pomp and dressed 
gorgeously. He had lavished in wealth as a king in his pal- 
ace. In fact, he denied himself nothing which his desire 
and imagination could awaken within Himself. Besides all 
this, he had also tried to live a religious life of humble devo- 
tion. Indeed, it was there he got his wisdom. He had also 
lived a life of sin and shame, from which, he at last awoke. 
After all this, he has this to say unto us : 'Tear God and 
keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man." 
The total of man's duties is to God, and man for his com- 
mandments are to love God above all things, and to love our 
neighbors as ourselves. To fear God is to hold Him in 
reverence above all things. 

This shows man's wisdom to give God, the Creator, the 
most prominent place in our hearts as well as in the uni- 
verse. He deserves this and has proved Himself worthy 
thereof. We show our good sense by giving everything its 
proper place and due respect. By reverencing God, we show 
wisdom by taking our proper place at the feet of the Great 
Teacher and acknowledge Him as such. 

The first sign of good sense of a pupil is when he shows 
respect for the teacher and a disposition that he is willing to 
learn of him. Solomon had observed this during his life. 
Although he was so rich, wise, and mighty, he still con- 
sidered his proper place was at the feet of the Great Teacher, 
in fear and in loyal submission, even though he was a king 
himself. If Solomon saw that this was the conclusion of the 



l34 The Wise Conclusion. 

whole matter, how much more need we come to the same 
conclusion. Let us make use of Solomon's experience and 
profit thereby. He has written it all down, both good and 
bad, for our instruction. We have the right to study it all 
and accept the good, but should shun and avoid the evil. 
Even he himself tells us to do this. Solomon had a good 
opportunity to see what a true religious life was and what 
it could accomplish in aid of good government and peaceful 
homes, and its valiant defence in their behalf. He saw 
that the best Christian was the most loyal citizen, the most 
conscientious lawmaker, and the most trustworthy soldier. 
All this has its beginning when we first show our rev- 
erence to God. 

Solomon is not the only one who holds these views. 
There were men before him who thought and spoke in the 
same language. Wie know Job was a man of experience, 
too. His life was full of experiences, both bitter and sweet; 
but in all this he constantly held 'God in reverence, thereby 
showing his wisdom. He also exclaimed : "The fear of the 
Lord is the beginning of wisdom." 

Job was rich, respected, and had friends. He was relig- 
ious, prosperous, and enjoyed life. Suddenly it all changed 
about. He lost all he had, even his children. He was 
afflicted bodily with much worse than mere sickness. His 
former friends falsely accused him in his misery. He met 
with slight sympathy even from his wife. He lost all, even 
his health, but through it all, he did not give up his religion 
nor his faith in God. He accepted adversity as well as pros- 
perity because he feared God, and that is wisdom. He, how- 
ever, at one time in his life, thought himself almost equal 
with God and longed for a course of reasoning with Him. 
This he finally had for God asked Job a successive number 
of questions, which he found no answer for from within his 
own power; so he changed his mind and placed himself at 



The Wise Conclusion. 135 

the feet of the Master and found that to be the most fitting 
place for him. 

From that position he got a different view of the whole 
creation and the Creator. There is not a grander description 
of the universe than that given by Job after he got his eyes 
open. He alludes to the sun, moon^ stars, and planets, in 
glowing words. He describes the beauty and grandeur of 
nature in the most charming language. He pictures the 
movements of the heavenly bodies in complete obedience to 
the laws given them by God. He ascribes all wisdom, 
grandeur, and sublimity as derived from Almighty God 
whom it is wisdom to fear. He also concludes it all after 
his full and ripe experience in life, that to revere the Lord 
is the beginning of wisdom. 

Joshua was a noble, courageous man, with a great deal 
of wisdom and activity. He took up the work and carried 
it on from where Moses left off. Joshua's work was to lead 
Israel into the promised land and take possession thereof; 
also, to fortify and improve it. He did all this successfully 
and inaugurated a government where the judge or ruler was 
chosen from among the people. He appointed cities of ref- 
uge to which the offender could flee for justice and safety. 
He established a good government and the true religion and 
localized the true center around which both could success- 
fully and harmoniously move continually. He worked hard 
and faithfully in bringing about what is good, noble, and 
true among men. Before this conquering hero and his reno- 
vating work, the false, the wicked, and degrading must give 
way. Joshua came in contact with all classes of men and 
had dealings with them in national, political, and religious 
affairs. 

He was a leader among the people, a ruler in the land, 
and a father in the home. A wise son submits to his father's 
commands and honors him in the family, but a rebellious 



136 The Wise Conclusion. 

son does not. A loyal citizen submits with due respect to 
the ruler of the land, while* a person with a rebellious mind 
and spirit does not, but rather agitates and stirs up strife. 
Fear is a state or disposition of the mind and heart, which 
may be in loyal submission or agitating rebellion. 

Joshua had learned and experienced this. He therefore 
admonishes the whole congregation to choose whom they 
would serve, for he and his house would serve the Lord. At 
the closing scene of the most noble, exalted stage of his 
career, he says : "Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve 
Ijim in sincerity and in truth." Is this not a glorious con- 
clusion for a man of high position, wide experience, and 
merited honor ? W^e do well to heed his sayings, to fear God 
from a loving, loyal heart, so we will not be obliged to fear 
him from a disloyal, rebellious disposition. God is the great 
law-giver. His laws permeate the whole creation. Each 
creature lives and moves according to its peculiar law. A 
submissive person will fear God in reverence, while a 
rebellious person will be afraid of Him, because of his own 
disloyal heart, evil passion, and desire to stir up ill feeling 
among men toward God. 

The pages of the Bible and of history are full of men 
whose characters are the best and most worthy to follow 
when they have, from a fervent spirit and a heart constant in 
love, served God. This certainly means much to a thinking 
and reasoning person, and can not be read over lightly. It 
is from men with lofty ideas and great personal experience 
that the world has been getting better. From them, we can 
gather the choicest in concentrated form for our assimila- 
tion and use. The most proper thoughts, words, and action 
are direct manifestations of wisdom, which of noble men are 
most prominent when they express the feeling of their hearts 
to the highest and noblest object attainable, the Lord of all. 
We must not lose sight of the fact these men have lived in 



The Wise Conclusion. 137 

he same world as we do, and have had the same temptations 
to guard against and the same desires to battle with, as we 
have. They felt an inclination to do wrong and pursue evil 
as we do. This they had to be continually prepared to meet, 
in some form or another, and so have we. 

They have been tested by their trials severely and come 
out ready to give us a worthy testimony. This is what 
makes it so valuable to us for reading and precepts. Job 
saw the grandeur in the creation, the sublimity of heaven, 
and the usefulness of the elements in the universe. He 
knew the value of the different precious stones and the 
weight and fineness of the metals. Yet wisdom was more 
desirable to him and the getting thereof a higher prize in 
his estimation. The wisdom developed by reverence to God 
has had combats on very decisive battlefields with the wis- 
dom of this world, and has come out more than conqueror. 

Daniel began life by fearing God and became a wiser 
man than all the other wise men in the kingdom. He lived 
in the midst of all the royal display of Nebuchadnezzar's 
kingly court and there came in contact with the wisest men 
in his whole reign. These men exhausted their knowledge 
and wisdom before the king to his and their sad disappoint- 
ment. When these men had shown their wisdom to the ut- 
termost and thereby only developed folly, Daniel alone re- 
veals his wisdom which he received from fearing and serv- 
ing the true God. The king is satisfied with the revelation 
which Daniel gives and acknowledges the true God as a re- 
vealer of secrets. The king rewards Daniel bountifully and 
makes him ruler over all the wise men in the kingdom. This 
shows the contrast of the two wisdoms and the glorious suc- 
cess of the one over the other, the idolatrous king himself 
being the judge. 

The spirit of worship can be awakened in man when he 
is in the presence of some one worthy of reverence. The 



138 The Wise Conclusion. 

king was brought in this mood when in Daniel's presence 
and under his inspiring influence. Daniel was given 'a posi- 
tion where he could more fully display his wisdom for the 
good of the king and all succeeding generations. In all this, 
Daniel proved equal to the occasion and never swerved from 
the religion that made him wise and prominent. 

Daniel's wisdom was severely tested. Another king 
arose with whom the wise men had greater influence. They 
contrived and laid plains against Daniel to do away with 
him. They succeeded in securing a decree from the king 
that no God should be worshiped but the one stated by the 
king. This, of course, was direct against Daniel. In the 
midst of their plans, and contrary to the king's decree, Da- 
niel continued showing reverence to his God and worshiped 
Him. He went up in his room as before, opened the win- 
dows, turned his face toward Jerusalem, and prayed ear- 
nestly and loud to the living God three times a day. 

His reverential fear of God made him bold, and he had 
no fear of the wise men, the supreme king, nor the lion's 
den. He went down into the den with his religion, convic- 
tion, and trust in God who supported and saved him in his 
severe trial. 

Daniel came out of the den a greater and nobler man 
in the king's own judgment than ever before. But the wise 
men who had planned wickedly against him met their doom 
in disastrous grief, folly, and shame. These men acted ac- 
cording to the wisdom of their own deceitful hearts' desire, 
and showed up in the end a very foolish plan. Men who 
represent heavenly wisdom have been tried in severe fiery 
furnaces and have come out genuine and pure. These 
tested men are as gems among precious stones, retaining 
their true value and glittering colors in the darkness. 
The development of the inherent worshiping spirit in man, 



The Wise Conclusion. 139 

properly directed, gives unmistakable signs of wisdom 
superior to the wisdom of the world. 

We have seen that the fear of the Lord is the begin- 
ning of wisdom and that this wisdom has been tested to 
the uttermost. We have the lives and characters of men 
whom both the Bible and history acknowledge as great. 
These men have acted an important part in life in their 
days and left for us wholesome influence. They were men 
of courage, zeal, and force of character. 

Solomon is another man who had studied God, man- 
kind, and the whole creation with a view of obtaining wis- 
dom. He gained all the knowledge he could and gener- 
ously leaves us the benefit of his research and experience. 
He does not say for us to follow his folly and errors but 
sets them up as a mark for us to beware, for there is a 
pit into which we are liable to fall. 

Viewing it all over in its variations, he comes to the 
conclusion, at the close of his life, that to fear God and 
keep His commandments is the whole duty of man. 

Job comes to the conclusion that the fear of the Lord 
is the beginning of wisdom. 

Joshua's choice was to fear the Lord and serve Him in 
sincerity and in truth. 

These men have made their choice and arrived at their 
conclusions by their experimental, enlightened intelligence. 
It is wise to love the Creator and esteem Him above all 
else. It is wise to love our fellow men and do unto them 
as we would have them do unto us. This is the command- 
ment of God, and implies our whole duty. No thought- 
ful man will really dispute but that Solomon was right and 
came to a concise, wuse conclusion. Solomon, who had 
all he could wish from a worldly point of view, was not 
fully satisfied. He saw and realized that where true relig- 
ion was lacking, there could be no lasting satisfaction. 



140 The Wise Conclusion. 

He, therefore, concludes that true rehgion will supply 
what is void and lacking. 

All these men have lived to ripe old age and join in 
urging us to keep the commandments of God and serve 
Him. The best and noblest men having the highest ideal 
of character agree that man is a worshiping creature and 
that' worship can be developed in man and grow into ripe 
fruitage as naturally as the life sap in the tree develops 
into delicious fruit. 

These men in a high degree represent in their lives 
and characters what Jesus Christ completely embodied in 
His person. He was humble and obedient to the Father. 
He devoted a great deal of time in prayer to Him. He 
came to fulfill the whole law of God and the prophets. 
H it was necessary and appropriate for Jesus to do this, 
how much more for us? Jesus showed His wisdom by 
knowing the scriptures. He showed His wisdom by quot- 
ing from the Bible. He showed His wisdom by living 
and dying according to the law and prophets. 

Where is there an unwise word or action in the whole 
life of Jesus? Is He not in harmony with nature, with 
law, and with human life, only without sin of His own? 

P-eter had experience with the two kinds of fear : one, 
after he had denied the Master; and the other, after he 
had repented and was forgiven by Him. Peter's testimony 
is overwhelmingly in favor of the latter. Paul likewise 
had the same experience, and his verdict is so firm and 
assuring that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of 
wisdom. 

John, who had continually been an earnest expounder 
of the heavenly wisdom and by reason thereof was an 
exile on Patmos, saw the new Jerusalem with the precious 
stone foundation and the pearly gates, the gold and crystal, 
and all that is valuable, and leads our thoughts to precious 



The Wise Conclusion. 141 

things of everlasting nature. It seems that Job and John 
had their minds on the same things when they were foot- 
ing up their estimates of things of real value. 

With this beautiful and enjoyable in sight, and a pos- 
sibility of obtaining it, we show wisdom by choosing the 
best part. Therefore, it is wise to fear God and keep His 
commandments. It is our whole duty, and gives us an in- 
heritance in the new heaven and the new earth, where 
there is endless peace and joy, and each one there can 
finally say: 'T am with I AiM." 

Mysteries are all around us, but the Light shines ai)d 
reveals them more and more. Man is the image of God 
and truly represents Him on earth. I xA.m, the Supreme 
God, came down into His garden. The bride leans on the 
strong arm of the Bridegroom through the wilderness. 
Our elder brother has willed us joint inheritance with 
Himself. It is wise to choose the best, highest, and 
noblest; also to love God and men. The sensation of 
alone and not alone is love, and the realization that I am 
with I AM is home eternal. 



I 



RELIGIOUS BOOKS 

THAT STIR THE SOUL 



Books worth having. Books that re- 
cord facts. Books that do good and per- 
manent good . Books that reveal heaven 
and hell. Books that melt hearts to tears. 
Books that awaken conyictlon and WIN 
SOULS. Books that people love NEXT 
TO THEip BIBLES. See list below, 

HALF niLLION SOLD 




' ALL BOOKS Ane UNIFORM IH aize. 9X8 INCHES ^^ 



The Great Revival in Wales, Shaw. 
Cprapiled. Concise. Complete. Includes full 
account of Great Revival in Ireland in 1859. 
In great demand 256 pages. 

Cloth 75c Paper 25c 

Miracle^ in the Slums, Rees. Timely, 
TruOv Toucliinpr. Rightly named. 40 illustra- 
tions. Selling fast. 304 pages. Cloth §1.0O 

Spiritual Flashlights, Perry. New, 
Neat, Nothing lilfe it. Selected from hun- 
dreds of writers. 153 topics. Alphabetically 
arranged, 408pagesv Cloth Sl.OO 

Old Time Religion, Shaw. Primitive, 
Pathetic, Powerful. Contains accounts of 
greatest revivals since Pentecost. Stirs 
hearts, wins soolSv and will help to bring 
about an^ old time revival, 288 pages. 
Cloth 8.1 .OO paper 35o 

Wayside Sketches, Cooke. Bright. 
Bracing, Biographical. 28 illustrations. 382 
pages. Cloth $1.00 



Touching Incidents and Remark* 
able Answers to Prayer, Shaw. Attract- 
ive, AbsoxDiiig, Authentic. 300,000 sold. 
320 pages. Cloth 81.O0 Paper 35o 

Children's Edition of Touching Inci* 
dents, Shaw. 42 illustrations. 128 pages. 
125,000 sold. Cloth 60c Board 36c 

Dying Testimonies of Saved and Un- 
saved, Shaw> Title, Thrilling, Triumph* 
ant. 160,000 sold. 320 pages. 

Cloth 81.00 Paper dSc 

TlieMen Behind the Bars, Sanders. 
Interesting, Instructive, Illustrated. 920 
pages. Cloth 81.O0 

God's Financial Plan, Shaw. Search* 
ing, Scriptural, Spiritual. Largest sale of 
any book of its theme ever published. 320 
pages. Cloth 81*0O Paper 35o 

Traits of Character, Kletzlng. Elevate 
ing, Entertaining, Excellent. 180 iUustra* 
tions. Cloth fl.OO 



Any FOUR ol the above books sent POST PAID to one address*' 
_^ Cloth 83.00 Paper 81*10 

Any THREE ol the above books sent POST PAID to one addireSB«» 
Cloth 8S«50 Paper 90c ^ 

ONE THOUSAND AGENTS WANTED 

WRITg FOR TERMS AND LARGE ILUUSTRATEP CATAWOGUE 

Address, S. B. SHAW, Publisher/ 

212 . 214 W. Chicago Avenue, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 



JUN 2 tf"^ 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2005 



PreservatlonTechnologies 

i 



A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 022 369 4 



nm 

lifiiiteiiipi ii'h'' 

;!« ij I ("I I <l,M; !} y If'" ' 

il 



Pi 



) I 



mw 

I'H' '» h 




: ' ' • ^' ■ : ■:[ ' ^! ' : ' ' . 


'; 1 1 

.. :;: 

it: 

;r: 

iil 

•t:; 


1 > t 
t ,t, t 

! 1 ; 

1 111' 


! 
1 1 










I < 






















n 



.llillJiiilJliilifiSaiiiHHii 


• uHBDIH^^^^^^^^^H 


SH^^^^^^^H 


fflmSa^l 


1 'nffflfflffir 




1 '^BH 

7) 




I 






i Illlhl'I'lSl 

Pi'' 

m 











'"JUJ] 





t 




\ni-- 



n?!-!'':!!-! Ill' {{{il III 



t 









